Watt's Happenings

Taking Care of Family

2012-01-31T19:41:00.005+02:00

When we returned in Sept. to Niger I knew we would be facing difficulties and that we were headed into some stress-filled days and months. With all that is going on with the translation project and Milton's doctorate I knew better than to take on anything else. When asked by administration what my ministry would be I said, "husband and kids!" That seems to be about all I can handle these days. It has been more than enough for me too. I love being able to scoot over to SIL to pray every morning and that has been a lifeline for me. I have felt more support over there than anywhere else. The Moms in Touch prayer group, and weekly prayer meetings both at SIM and SIL keep me busy but in a good way!

One of the ways I like to take care of my family is providing good food for them! I detest the hot dogs we get in town but if I turn them into pigs in a blanket we love them. I have a very simple pizza crust recipe that works really well for that!

Pizza Crust

2 1/2 cups of flour

1 tablespoon yeast dissolved in 1 cup of warm water

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons of oil

mix it all together and voila! You have pizza dough. This is enough dough for a 10 pack of hot dogs cut in half

Another recipe that I like a lot is for pizza rolls. This one is so simple. Take your pizza crust recipe and divide it into small balls that can be flattened. Add a pepperoni or two, some cheese and wrap it all up! I bake these and then make a

marinara sauce (Aunt Anora's lasagne sauce works well for dipping, minus the meat!)

Tonight I wanted something simple but comforting and delicious. I went to my Niger Common Pot Cookbook and decided on a Cajun bean and rice recipe, but I completely reworked it and it was exactly what I hoped for!

Cajun beans and rice

1 lb hamburger browned

onion chopped (I did not put in)

2 cloves of garlic chopped

packet of chili seasoning

1 t. cumin (I just sprinkled a bunch on)

1 can kidney beans with liquid

1 can tomatoes chopped up good

2 c. rice

cheese

Brown rice in oil. Add hamburger, chili seasoning, beans, tomatoes and cumin. Let cook slowly with lid on it and add a little more water if rice is not tender after 15 min. Grate cheese and put lid back on and let it melt! Yummy!

Yesterday I was bemoaning the fact that I was just taking care of my family! I decided to change my attitude to see how I do that! So each time I did something that helped out someone in my family today I said, "I'm taking care of my family." Running errands for Milton, picking him up from work at lunch time, picking up Alicia sick at school, making lunch for us, shopping for veggies and fruit, picking up John some chocolate spread and cereal, picking up John at SIL after video club, making a delicious supper. I guess I did do a lot to take care of my family today!

Visit to the Game Park

2012-01-14T10:33:00.016+02:00

One of our favorite things to do is to visit the game park which is about 2 1/2 hours from Niamey. We are not campers and we don't have a lot of money so we usually try to do this the most economical way possible. (If we camped, tenting it on our own would be a good option!) We spend one night in the hotel and take our lunches and our breakfast! We then eat the evening meal at the hotel.

We usually go with one or two other like-minded families who would rather enjoy the pool and sitting beside the pool to read or play games--Apples to Apples or card games. Our kids prefer this to getting up at 6 a.m. to look for lions!

We usually head for the watering hole around noon and hang out there for a couple of hours then head back to the hotel for a sieste. We will go out once more in the afternoon when we can find the elephants at the watering hole.

This year we hit the jackpot. We got to see the elephants up close--just across the river from us. We saw beautiful birds (no pictures), and a few crocodiles, monkeys, baboons, and a lot of dlcs--deer like creatures.

This was a whole family of elephants and they gave us a real show in the water!
You can tell just how close we were able to get. Yep that's me right by the river edge. Our guide was with us and until the elephants crossed the river never said a word about us being too close!

We got to see baboons and monkeys!

What a great time we all had including the boys! Nothing like riding on top to feel the wind and see all the great animals and birds or just hang with your friends!

Christmas Stay-cation

2011-12-28T20:08:00.006+02:00

Everyone in our family including Milton had a week's vacation over Christmas and New Years and we have enjoyed hanging out together, sleeping in, eating all kinds of good meals, and Alicia has pitched in and helped quite a bit. She is also learning to cook a few meals as well. We have played game after game of Dutch Blitz, watched movies and really have enjoyed our family time. It is not often that we all have time off together so this has been fun.

One of the things we had said we would do but had not scheduled was a trip to the plateau area where we have had picnics, and where kids learn to drive. There is so much open space that it is like a giant parking lot minus the pavement and lines for parking, but backing up, turning, and just shifting gears is easily done out here. You only have to dodge the occasional goat or donkey cart!

One of the things we noticed is that there were areas dug up in different patterns. We weren't sure the purpose of these rather random patterns like what you see in this picture.

While the kids were having a lesson with Dad, I was walking along the cliffs overlooking the Niger River. What a view!

We started our lessons at the house. Both kids had to identify the different parts of the car, how to use the clutch and brake and how to shift to the different gears. I think Mario Cart may have helped.

Both kids got an opportunity or two at the wheel with Dad. He is the calmer of the two of us! Then John drove out from the Golf Course to the big baobab tree.

I love this picture of Alicia in a reflective mood. We were talking about some of our picnics out here. We have lots of good memories tied to the plateau!

Several factors prevent us from going out here in the evenings--including security measures. Today we enjoyed the view of the river.

Last week we started a cute jigsaw puzzle and it took all us working on it to get it completed! Finally everyone actually enjoys putting a puzzle together. This has become a family tradition that both Milton and I have carried over from our families. Both of our families enjoyed a jigsaw puzzle at Christmas!

One of the more challenging puzzles was a jelly bean puzzle. We stayed up late a couple of nights to finish it!

Joy, Joy, Joy

2011-12-25T23:39:00.007+02:00

I don't know about you, but I hate it when joy does not seem to be there. It seems everyone else has it and you haven't figured out why they do and you don't. The empty chair represents what it is like when joy is missing. It is like you are missing from the family. The past two weeks, I have felt incredible joy and at strange times, but none the less it has been there!

Actually it has been more and more as I have focused on gratitude rather than what is lacking that I have felt the joy returning.

There has also been a lot of joy in serving others. We decided to help the families of our employees and prepared a very unique Christmas present for each one. When one of our friends took his gift home and his wife saw it he said she leaped for joy. How could something so small make such a big difference for a family? It is all in your perspective! The gift was given with great joy and love for each one. We all had a hand in putting together these gifts and it gave joy and brought us joy!

I was at a sale this week and remembered two Christmases ago. The atmosphere has changed a lot and I was reminded of it this week. The employees were getting ready for a big clean out sale and there was so much joy! Everyone was so happy! It was contagious! I was laughing and enjoyed helping explain what some of the kitchen utensils were, what didn't work, why it didn't work and just enjoyed the time. I also volunteered to take some of those purchases home for our coworkers without transportation! Another joy in just serving others!

I had noticed that most everyone was pretty tired especially after all this work for this sale. When we talked about Christmas no one really wanted to plan anything so I decided I would take on the task of preparing a meal for everyone. Milton asked if I was crazy! He knew I had not had a lot of energy lately, and for some very good reasons. But I did want to do this! I felt if we were going to have a Christmas meal together I needed to organize it. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole weekend! Saturday, I prepared everything so we could still go to church on Sunday. That was certainly an undertaking. Don't get me wrong, I had help, and everyone brought something to share!

Usually Christmas Eve, we don't go to the services here, because it is more youth oriented and lasts very late. We usually have a family time and sometimes it has been fine and other times it has been a bit lacking. Usually when I was taking on way too much, then I lacked the energy required to make a family celebration happen. This year was different. The past few weeks I had kept the family supplied with cookies, and peanut brittle, caramel popcorn, and was making decorations right and left! I was full of joy most of the time!

This year I made a chowder for our Christmas Eve supper, and a delicious chocolate mousse pie!

Then we played Dutch Blitz, and worked on a puzzle while watching It's a Wonderful Life. We had a great family celebration. We opened our Christmas stockings and just enjoyed being together. Milton also managed to get some gifts wrapped too, at the last minute!

Christmas morning I usually make a fabulous breakfast, complete with bacon. I made a small breakfast casserole the night before and got up a little early to bake it. We read the Christmas story, opened our gifts, then got ready for church. I really wanted to celebrate with other believers, but was not up for an all day affair. There is always this dilemma of how to celebrate Christmas Day. Quite a few of our friends were hanging out with friends at church, but I knew I could not handle a full day of Church and then come home to make a meal for our 8 friends who I had invited and prepared for!

We attended the service at EEI which is our old home church here in Niger.

The church was all decorated, complete with a Christmas tree and lights plus a lot of other stuff on the walls as decorations. Even the fans had tinsel and glitter hanging from them. There was a kids program, a skit, songs by the women, and then Pastor's message. I loved seeing all the little kids, all dressed up in their holiday finery, reciting verses left and right! Just so beautiful! My heart was so full of joy! I entered into the joy of the Christmas worship and enjoyed every minute of it. I also noticed that I had joy! No room for anything but joy today!

We left after the message as we had quite a few preparations to do and set up. We had a very low key Christmas celebration, with friends who have become our family here in Niger. It was a great joy to serve them. It is also a joy to be with friends who accept you just as you are and you don't have to worry about anything, just enjoying the time together.

Staff needs at Sahel Academy

2011-12-06T10:01:00.001+02:00

Here are the Staff needs for our school for next year. Pray that the Lord would provide for each needed staff person.

Admin and Support Staff

Assistant Principal
Business Manager
Administrative Assistant
Receptionist (English and French preferred, but at least English)
Recruitment
Curriculum Manager
Food Services Manager
Nurse
Maintenance
Building/Construction Supervisor
Youth Pastor

Teachers

Special Education Teacher
Art (K-12)
Physical Education (K-12)
Music (K-12)
Bible (K-6)
French (K-12)
Spanish
Kindergarten
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 5
Middle Grades Math (Grades 7-8)
Middle Grades English (Grades 7-8)
High School English (Grades 9-12)
Earth Science (Grade 7-8)
Upper level Chemistry (Grades 11-12)
Bible (Grades 7-12)
History and Geography (Grades 7-8
Sociology (Grades 9-10)
World History, US History (Grades 11-12)

Thirteen Years in Niger--Reflecting on that first Christmas

2011-12-04T16:17:00.004+02:00

Tomorrow we will celebrate 13 years in Niger! We arrived on December 5, 1998. All our "stuff" and car had been stored for two years in Benin. We left Benin in Nov. 1996. I was pregnant with John and we returned home to complete our adoption of Alicia, Milton to do his Th.M. at TEDS in Deerfield, IL and I to work on my MABS at Moody to hopefully finish it. In those two years, we finished up Alicia's adoption, I gave birth to John and we moved to Wheeling, IL where we lived while Milton did his Th.M and I did a counseling internship with my pastor Keith Plummer at Our Savior Evangelical Free Church. When we could not return to Benin due to an impasse with the mission--I simply could not live in the north with two small children, unbearable heat, sporadic electricity and water and no meat and vegetable for most of the year. The isolation had exhausted me and I felt I was living in the desert. Little did I know I would soon be closer to the desert than northern Benin!

So what are some of the memories of that first Christmas in Niger. Lucy Brown took me to the Christmas Bazaar at the Rec. Center and I thought it was a wonderful way to prepare for Christmas! I still have Christmas bags for presents that Pauline Clark Nelson sold for the AIDS project.

We all got sick after going out to eat with Gary and Joy Freeman at the Damsi--for years we would not go there! Gwen Baker bringing us something to eat at the Guest House because we were too sick to cook or leave our beds except for frequent trips to the bathroom!

We flew with SIM Air to Benin and spent a week getting our car road worthy--last time we will store a vehicle for two years. Then we got everything out of storage and from friends using our furniture. We then followed the truck to Niger and stored all our stuff at CBN until we found a house to rent.

Gordon and Judy Evans allowed us to stay in their lovely house for two weeks while we looked for a house to rent. A Christmas tree and house already decorated, a cookie Christmas tree by Becky Evans, and a tea ring from Sandy Rendel made Christmas so special. However we did not know that the English service was next door! So we missed all the Christmas celebrations! Jim Knowlton lived around the corner from us and he helped us Christmas morning to get the tires in Alicia's new bike aired up! I remember the special Christmas morning and me preparing Christmas dinner. I do not remember anyone inviting us--the newbies to celebrate with them. We knew very few people in Niger. That part was rather lonely and I have made an effort to make sure those around me have a place to celebrate Christmas so they don't feel alone at that time.

When we came to Niger it was to work in translation with SIL. We had started out in Benin in Fulfulde so it made sense when SIL invited us to join the Western Fulfulde team to come to Niger. There was an established team but they soon left Niger and it was just Milton and his translators. Anyway coming to Niger to work with SIL explains why it was often difficult to figure out where we fit. It took a few years to really feel a part of SIL, but that is where our heart is. We have gotten to know the team there and love spending time with those we know well.

Over the years we have weathered many transitions and difficulties but none that prevented us from returning to Niger because we have always felt that in spite of the difficulties we have experienced here--two coups d'etats in 13 years, numerous demonstrations and conflicts with students, possible evacuations, etc., that this is where we were called to. Until we are called elsewhere we will continue to rely completely on the Lord for all that we need.

God Delights in Giving us good Gifts

2011-11-20T08:27:00.002+02:00

So many people downplay God's work in our daily lives. For the past couple of years I have really worked at knowing God more intimately and I find there are times in our daily lives that God does something that is so incredibly Him that we have to smile or chuckle because it certainly wasn't our doing. I believe that God loves to show us that he cares for the little details in our lives as well as the big ones. I also believe that He enjoys doing things that show us He is not our magic lamp and that all we have to do is ask three times and Hocus-Pocus Holy Spirit shows up to wow us. When he wows us it is not because we asked Him to do it but because He wants to show us His love and care about the details of our lives.

Yesterday I decided to go downtown to look for African cloth to make a quilt. I wanted 2 yard lengths of at least five different designs in blue, dark and light blue. I knew that Enitex makes cheap but good cotton cloth. Usually some really pretty designs too. I knew where to go--the Petit Marche. Caryn and I had finished our grocery shopping. We moved the truck closer to the part of the market that sells cloth.

As we walked into the market I anticipated finding 2 meter (about 2 yards) lengths of material already cut and looking at several places to buy enough to make a quilt. The very first shop had hanging outside 3-5 lengths of cloth in blues that I was looking for. The seller invited us to enter his shop--not a big one but as I walked in I was struck by one thing--one whole wall had nothing but blue pagne material. I chuckled to myself, "That's your work isn't it Lord?" This is just for me to enjoy. None of the material was Enitex and the seller would not sell me lengths of 2 meters. I had to buy at least 2 but I didn't need two of each! He did have several already cut but his price was higher---2000 a pagne. I thought he had some Enitex and I knew it was only 1500 a pagne.

We left his shop and continued walking--no, no, no to 1500 cfa a pagne. I decided as we returned in the direction of the first vendor that I would go across the river later in the day and buy cloth from my Fulani friend--Hama. I was sure he would sell me cloth at the price I was looking for. He had just two weeks ago! "Hey, did you find your cloth?" the first vendor asked. "No," I replied, "but after living here 13 years I do know the price of Niger made cloth. I will go across the river. I really only want 1 pagne lengths of blue. But I want to buy at least 5 if not more." "Oh, we don't cut the 3 pagnes (6 meters), but I do have some 1 pagne lengths in blue I would sell you for 1500 cfa." "Really? That is what I am looking for. How about this one, and this one, and this one? Are there more? Show me all you will sell me for 1500 each!" I not only got blues, but I also got a much higher quality of material. None of what I bought was Enitex but either Veritable or Hitarget Wax, which is a better quality material! In the end I came away with 10 different designs.

God delights in giving us gifts that we don't ask for! He takes great delight in us and many times we miss what he is doing because we don't open our minds to the possibility of what He will do for us. I have never seen a shop with one whole wall covered in blue cloth of many different designs. I have never seen someone change their mind as this vendor did! I love it when God showers me with his love and his care! I know He does it every day but my eyes are not always open to what He is doing!

Peacemaking instead of Sweeping it under the Rug

2011-11-02T23:42:00.003+02:00

In the recent weeks since our return to Niger I have had a lot of opportunity to read! I have either been sick and could only listen to books or I was laying in bed recovering from some stomach bug that just didn't want to leave me alone!

The most recent book and probably one that I need to memorize, or at least the principles is Peacemaker by Ken Sande. SIL has adapted his materials and I have found them even more interesting since it applies even better to our situation in Niger. I find church battles--even though they do occur here, to be harder to understand than work related problems. We as Christians and missionaries tend to deny that conflict exists. We sweep the problems under the rug and thinks that no one notices--until they trip over that elephant of a bulge under that rug in the middle of our offices! We don't even try to smooth out the bulge but just keep adding to the dirt already under there! I was reminded of this the other day. I have a small rug in my living room and I know how filthy it gets and how much sand is hiding under there. I can hide it pretty well for awhile. But recently I noticed there is a small stain on that rug that is going to require quite a bit of effort on my part to get it out if it will come out at all.

Conflict is like that. If it is allowed to accumulate it begins to effect our relationships--it will cause resentments and bitterness to take hold. But if it is dealt with quickly it can not sink its roots deeply. The stain it causes if any when quickly dealt with is hardly noticeable and easy to get rid of through forgiveness. But it is a process, at times a painful process and as we have found sometimes it is never dealt with as it should be. I believe those kinds of relationships can be dealt with through prayer. For years family members have had an ongoing conflict but just recently I was thinking about about it and realized the Lord had done something because I no longer am angry about my family's fights. I am sad that they are missing out on some awesome times together but I am no longer bitter or resentful and God had to do that. Maybe I am learning something about being a peacemaker.

One of the most important principles to learn is to communicate well. If you are working crossculturally, you really do need to discuss these things openly before starting a project together. Before a conflict arises talk about how you will work together. How do you want to be treated if you do disagree about something. If I am going to work together with someone we need to discuss how we will work together. We need to talk about how we want to handle conflicts that come up. We need to communicate, communicate, communicate. Small problems become big ones. The second principle is to take care of the small problems while they are small. Insist that issues be dealt with as they come up. Isn't that what we learn in Marriage 101!? Communication is what it's about. Putting into practice these two principles will help a lot when issues come up and they will. We are human and we make mistakes but Jesus has asked us to make an effort to be at peace with everyone.

Mentoring experiences that don't seem like Mentoring

2011-10-14T00:14:00.010+02:00

That's me in Liberian bush 1989-90!

Mentoring--what kinds of images does it dredge up? I never consider many of my life experiences mentoring. Many of them are. Either I have been mentored or I am mentoring someone else. I was thinking tonight of the lives that I have touched and where those people are today. A few months ago I got an email from a Liberian missionary in Guinea. He had asked a SIM missionary if they knew me and they did. So he got in contact with me. I could not place him. He told me that his wife had been one of the ladies I had visited every week in West Point in the worse part of Monrovia. It was so bad no one drove into the area. They walked. Each week I walked in and I walked out, never getting off the paved road. I would have been horribly lost, robbed or shot! That is how dangerous it was to get off the paved road. I met with Bessie every week and we studied the Bible together.

I enjoyed our time together. One of my favorite pictures is me with her--such joy in sitting together with a sister in Christ to read God's Word. She and her husband are now Pentecostal missionaries in Guinea. I touched her life, but never knew how much until recently!

Mentoring--what kinds of images does it dredge up? I usually think of meeting with someone to teach me something that I really want to know. But I never thought that being there for someone day in and day out could be a mentoring relationship. I never considered many of my life experiences in the realm of mentoring.

Another young Liberian worked for me and many others on the ELWA campus. I banked his money for him. He attended Carver Academy just across the road from ELWA. I got to know him well, visited his family, and enjoyed at least two meals with his family! It was at his house that I ate monkey meat--either that or fish head! No way would I do that.

This young man has graduated from seminary in KY and is now pastoring a Methodist church in Iowa. We attended his graduation in 2009 and was able to visit him in IA this summer. I had no idea how I touched his life, but I know that we have remained friends all these years. I love him like a son, and I am happy to call him brother and pastor!

Another young man told me after he became a missionary that I had inspired him. We worked together in Junior Church as I was preparing to go to Liberia. I don't even remember what I did that had such a profound affect on him but he said I had been an inspiration to become a missionary. I know I sat around his table with his mom and sister and talked about missions a lot! He is now a missionary doctor!

We never know how we are going to influence someone's life. Why shouldn't we want to help some new person as they get adjusted to Niger? Why wouldn't we want to show them where to find things, how to shop, how to bargain, how to buy a gas bottle, how to light a stove, how to wash vegetables, and how to make something from scratch! I am sure we had someone who did that for us!

I remember Lois Balzer, my next door neighbor in Liberia. My first night there, she told me what to do when the ants got in my sugar. Freeze them and pick them out! I did! I remember her counsel the day I was robbed in the market! Run after the thief yelling, "rogue" "rogue" and people will help you. They did. What would I have done if I had not had someone like Sandy Dick to mentor me in running the Bible Club at the SOS Orphanage, Victoria and Richard Morris who taught me so much about friendship and African food, and Randy and Adena Wildman, and Linda Tiedje who was my prayer partner, or my next door neighbor Mary Lord or Libby Muchmore who gave me cultural experiences I will never forget. Those experiences prepared me for my 3 years in Benin, and my 12 years in Niger. Each one poured something into me--whether it was how to run a kids club with 100 orphans, or how to lead a one-on-one Bible study and how to worship in the Liberian Church. Or how to enter into the culture appropriately and how to enjoy every minute of it. I went out as a short termer but I knew I wanted to be a missionary and God opened the doors for me. 16 months in Liberia carved Africa on my heart. Each of those brothers and sisters in Christ mentored me in informal and formal ways teaching me culture, teaching me language and so much more, being Christ to the people I came to serve.

Let us not forget that in our day to day interactions we are doing the same thing here. Take time to just be with new missionaries, and to be willing to just listen. Help them feel comfortable to ask what they may think are silly questions. They are here to learn!

Transitions are hard work

2011-10-05T20:31:00.004+02:00

The first week back from Home Assignment and I find myself sitting in a mentoring workshop. It was good. I was thankful that I had done an on-line mentoring course a few years back with SIL. As I sat with Chris one of the workshop leaders to do one of the exercises in listening, I really feltI had a break through. For the past year I have been in transition. I had a crisis last year--Burn Out--oh we didn't call it that, but if I were to look at the symptoms of burnout, I was there. I had just come through an exhausting time of 3 year planning with our translation teams using RBM planning tool. I had coordinated various trainings--budgeting, and EXCEL for our teams so they would have a better handle on these useful tools. I was exhausted. I had also come through a coup-d'etat, and several crises with our translation teams. I was worn out from all the work. I had also completed a home study for an adoption and let's see--oh yes my husband was in the middle of a work-related crisis. I felt unsupported, abandoned, worn out, ready to quit, exhausted. My thinking was fuzzy, I had no energy, I was not sleeping and I was ready to leave Niger and not return. I did leave Niger long enough to gain perspective, do a spiritual retreat and get some training in this area. When I came back I resigned my position at SIL and then started volunteering at our school. I actually thought I would go right over there and start a new role. Little did I know that I needed a lot of time to heal and recover. I spent the past year resting, but not a lot, volunteering at the school, and supporting my husband and children. I find it very hard to rest, to sit and do nothing. I need to be busy. However, I am learning that the rest is absolutely necessary.

When we went home for our home assignment, both of us talked about being exhausted and neither of us wanted to return to Niger! Yet for the first time in our life we had return tickets because our support had been so good overall. I was still feeling very tired--emotionally spent. The kids had had a rough school year, I had had a hard time dealing with things. My husband had had a hard time as well. He was worn out. He had had some stress-related symptoms last year and was needing a lot of support. We were battle weary.

The change event for me was leaving my role at SIL. This really threw me into a lot of confusion. There were moments of creativity--some of the work I did with students at Sahel I thought was very creative. I loved the interaction with them. But I must say the confusion continued--there were times when I was so tired. I would get through mid-day and be exhausted. My thinking was fuzzy--menopausal? or Burn-out related? Bridges uses the following diagram in looking at transitions.

I feel that I am in the green area now. When I met with Chris at the Mentoring workshop, I really understood that I needed to take time to get through the wall of transition. I need to work at it, but what I need to work at is seeking God's will for my future not jumping into something because I can do it. I need to allow God to renew me--I am looking at some possibilities right now--retreat materials that have guided me in prayer. I believe I see fissures in the wall and in time I will be on the other side. I actually find some joy in my life these days. I am still tired at mid-day but my thinking isn't as fuzzy and I am looking forward to how God is going to use this in my future. I still think that my most important role right now is supporting my husband and kids. I attend our daily prayer time at SIL and the weekly prayer meetings at both SIM and SIL and I have been greatly blessed during these times!

Lessons learned the Hard Way

2011-09-27T09:49:00.002+02:00

I wrote the following post a few weeks ago when I was sick with the pink eye. As a followup to that the Lord has been teaching me a lot about staying close to him. When I am in a particularly difficult situation as I have recently found myself, I can remember this devotional and those days of lying on my back in the dark. God has been faithful and I find myself relying less on myself and more on him each day.

"Relax in my everlasting arms. Your weakness is an opportunity to grow strong in awareness of My Almighty Presence. When your energy fails you, do not look inward and lament the lack you find there. Look to Me and My sufficiency; rejoice in My radiant riches that are abundantly available to help you."

This was my devotional reading this morning. I could have used it yesterday when I was feeling particularly alone. I have been preoccupied to say the least for the past week with first taking care of John who had pink eye. The third day of treatment and it was all gone and he was back at school--no further complications for him. Thur. last week I woke up with pink eye and I started the same treatment that John was on, but soon both eyes were swollen and red. Not just pink but red! We tried two different medicines and here I am on Day 6 with puffy, less swollen, eyes! I became very self-preoccupied. I was up cleaning the gunk out of my eyes and putting medicine in every couple hours. I couldn't tolerate the light, could not be on the computer for more than a few min. at a time. I was taking Ibuprofen every 6 hours for the pain. All I could do was lay in a darkened room and listen to my Kindle. Even that was annoying if I was listening to the Bible reading. The audio is not good and Kindle is clueless about reading Scripture references. It reads it as hour and minutes. Mr. or Mrs. are spelled out instead of read! But I couldn't read the text and I had nothing better to do with my time during these days. I began to feel sorry for myself and even question my reason for being in this country. Wow that was quite a rapid downward spiral!

I know I have been in the valley of transition for months now, and have not quite come out on the other side. Every now and then I see a glimmer of where the Lord wants me to concentrate my energies for the remaining years we have in Niger. For the moment though he has me in a behind the scenes kind of ministry--support for my family! Anyway I'm getting distracted once again. I am in a waiting mode and rather than lamenting my lot I want to focus on what the Lord has done during these times of weakness.

As I reflect back on my life, I do see that the most precious times with the Lord have been those where I was flat on my back! I was hospitalized in 1994 in Benin due to severe dysentery. I lost about 20 lbs. and was very weak. It gave me an opportunity for reflection and dependence on the Lord. It was quite precious.

In times of family crisis the Lord has always been quite close to me. I lost my first husband in 1984 and found myself relying on God in ways that I never had before. He picked me up out of that pit and restored my relationship with Him and many many times I felt the strong arms of God holding me up. I lost my mother-in-law and a brother-in-law in 1998, a brother in 1999, my mother in 2006 and my older brother in 2009. I had time to reflect on family relationships and the Lord ministered to me during those times of grief. I always came out of the grieving time stronger and more reliant on Christ to comfort and sustain me.

Last year when I faced burn-out I did not take enough time to fully recover and as a result have spent more time in the valley of transition. I am there now, but I choose not to wallow in self-pity and "why me?" dialogues but to enjoy the Presence of God during this time.

A couple of weeks ago in a mentoring workshop, one of the leaders pointed it out to me that I need to savor this time, enjoy it and cultivate a deeper relationship with the Lord. Don't worry about coming out the other side of the wall or valley too quickly but to see it as a place of recovery, healing, and just stay there instead of getting up and jumping over the wall, or yelling, "I'm o.k. Really I am." Instead just continue to wallow in God's love and allow him to lavish his love and care on me. Wow! I just don't do a very good job of that! So I guess I have to learn.

A Polished Gem in Process

2011-09-18T10:44:00.003+02:00

Ever since I recommitted my life to Christ in 1985, I have longed for a deeper, intimate relationship with Christ. At that time I confessed that I was unable to live for Christ simply by following the prescribed methods--read your Bible, pray, and all will be well. I knew I had to have more of Christ and he had to transform my life. So there has been a hunger and thirst for more of Christ and less of me! In those early years, the Lord used the picture of him as the shepherd with a lamb in his arms to speak to me of his love for me. I return to that image over and over again. It is a constant reminder.

I have also noticed that Christ uses the hard times in my life to mold me and shape me much like the polishing of rocks to make them shine. I have a lot of rough edges and therefore, require a lot of polishing. That polishing often hurts, especially if I am pulling away from it and don't allow Christ to do His work in me. The rough edges get smoothed off and we become more like Christ in the polishing process. It also makes us easier to live with as we become gentler, more patient, etc. through the polishing process

While at our Spiritual Retreat this summer with other SIM missionaries on Home Assignment, we heard comments like, "I am spiritually dry." "I don't know how to hear God's voice." "I really need and want to spend more time with God. How do I do that?" That made me think that perhaps there is a place for me to share what God has been teaching me through the time I spend interacting with him.

Let me tell you it is not easy to quiet oneself and hear God's voice! I am not at all disciplined to take the time I need to hear God clearly day in and day out. Yet I am convinced that if I spend the time wisely sitting and listening to God and what he has to say to me, that I will then be a more effective witness for him here in Niger.

I also believe that if I can do that, I can then facilitate short retreats for other people to experience the same thing.

Last week I woke up early and spent some time asking the Lord how I could be most useful to him here. I have been here 12+ years and surely there is something I have learned along the way that would be useful for others. What has helped me to last out here? This place is hard. The climate sucks a lot of energy out of you. There are needs everywhere you look and we get tricked into thinking we have to respond to all those needs. We are tricked into believing that we can't take the time to rest and often use the excuse that we don't have time to take a day out every month for a personal retreat, that we don't have time to spend hours sitting and listening to God, that we don't ......and fill in the blank. My challenge is that we don't really have a choice, we need to make time for God, we need to rest, and we need the Spiritual Disciplines to last. I need to build into my life these disciplines so that I can not only last, but become resilient and thrive out here, rather than waiting 2 years until our HA and then taking a spiritual retreat!

I hope to develop over the coming months a way in which I can offer a half day spiritual retreat here at my home. It will be by invitation or request only and we will spend a Fri. morning on my front porch and in our living room enjoying the presence of God. There will be some small group activities and some individual time, much like the format of our home assignment retreat. I will call on one or two people to help with worship or we will rely on cds. I am hoping to have something ready by November so let me know if you are interested in participating. One that has proven very helpful is called "Finding a Rhythm of Rest." The Lord has already given me a format, and I want to make things a bit more comfortable and lovely for a retreat. The one thing I have found difficult about doing a personal retreat is first the expense of going somewhere, the lack of beauty in my surroundings, and actually getting off my duff and doing it. Hold me accountable as I move forward with this. I have a difficult time following through on things once the novelty wears off--but I really want to do this and feel that this is where God is leading me to minister this time--in a very limited way. Not only will I benefit from it but I think all who taste and see will also benefit.

2011-09-14T07:46:00.002+02:00

In 2006 my mom died and we went home for the funeral. I have used that as a marker for a lot of other events. There has been a problem in my family for more than 30 years between two of my siblings. It has split the family. A lot of families have problems like this and some work them out and others let it tear them apart! It is common to have conflicts and for us to say we don't just means that a lot of things get swept under the rug and not dealt with. Maybe some families are better at not sweating the small things! After my mom's funeral I had an argument with my sister and we worked it out. I went back and asked forgiveness--something I have had to learn to do as it doesn't come easy for me. My pride often gets in the way and sometimes when I have asked forgiveness from someone they get mad at me! So it is never easy to take that first step to saying, "Forgive me."

Oh I am so thankful I have Jesus example of how to forgive b/c if I didn't I would have a very distorted view of what real forgiveness is. I am so glad I have Jesus example of how to love one another. I don't do that very well either. I hold things in and I stew over them and I fret about them. I want to get even instead of loving them as Jesus would have me love them. I hold things against people and I talk about them behind their back. I am a sinner! It is hard for me to forgive someone 7 times 7 or even one or two times let alone 70 times 7! It is hard for me to bear with my brothers and sisters in the family of God let alone those outside the family! But I keep going to the cross and looking at Jesus example to guide me.

When the "conflict" separated us into two camps, I refused to go along. I did not want to be torn in two directions. I love both of my siblings. Soon I too, was seen as part of the problem and I wondered what I had done. I was crushed, rejected, and hurt. It was almost more than I could bear. I took it to the cross--almost daily I thought of her. I thought of our relationship in the past, and I began to pray for healing. Healing for my family and for me!

This summer I felt guilty about not calling but for two years there had been no contact. I prayed once again for our relationship. I really wanted to know how she was doing! I longed to just sit and talk with her. I longed for our relationship to be restored. I did nothing but pray. I did not think I could bear the rejection again. So I did not call.

We went into town one day to get on line at the library. As I sat there answering emails I heard a familiar voice. It was her. God had arranged a meeting that was so special. She walked over to me and I stood up. Without even thinking about it I made the first move and hugged her. There was so much love there. As we chatted, I was conscious of my feelings--no resentment between us, no anger, just love and acceptance. It didn't feel awkward, it felt natural. This is how you forgive. This is what it is supposed to feel like when all is forgiven. When the ugliness of sin is washed away and the relationship is restored. That is also the power of prayer. Because I had been praying for the past two years for her.

We had in the past hurt each other with our words! The woundedness was gone--washed away by forgiveness. I understand even better now and can empathize with what my family has gone through and is going through with different situations. It has been hard for my sister. I understand it. I too, experienced what she is experiencing now. I was just a lot younger when I lost my husband, but I can understand the hole that is left. The need to fill that hole with something--books, etc. The fact that she didn't want to see me again--well I could understand that. I did not feel rejected, that feeling was not there! Sadness, yes, but not rejection. I believe it would have been too hard to expose even to me her sister all that she has gone through, to relive the loss. That's ok, I think I know even better how to pray for her and the rest of my family now.

Sunday night--our first night back in Niger. I insisted that we go to the English service. Kris was preaching. He always has such good things to say and is always transparent! His subject--Matthew 18--FORGIVENESS! Seems God is trying to teach us something as a community of believers--a family--loving one another is hard, forgiving one another, bearing with one another is hard but so necessary for our life here. Without each other we can not stand. Lord continue to teach us about true forgiveness---restoring broken relationships, loving one another. Teach us just as you taught me to pray for one another--to pray for healing in our woundedness, to pray for those wounds that are festering. They can't be covered over, for true healing to take place they have to be exposed--exposed to the cross. Not to the whole world. That is not what I mean but exposed to the Lord. Invite Him to look at your wounds, all your boo-boos, and ask for his healing. It is amazing what he will do! He will make us fit vessels, clean on the inside and out, vessels fit to be used.

Debriefing, and Preparing to Return to Niger

2011-08-10T21:58:00.012+01:00

Here we are almost at the end of our three months of our home assignment. Who on earth talked us into doing a three month home assignment? It has been crazy! You see we left Niger really tired. We had had one of the most difficult two years and the most fruitful of 12 years in Niger. But when you are fruitful in ministry there is great possibility of burn out, or just exhaustion.

I had faced burn out last year--no one but myself dared to call it what it was. I had returned in 2009 to Niger not really sure if I wanted to remain with SIL but the Lord had not shut the door so I stayed on. I went back to a backlog of planning to do with the 7 translation teams. Anne-Lise and I worked together to try to find the best way to get the job we shared done. Our friendship remained intact in spite of the fact that we argued a lot about how to do things. We both had our own ideas as to how things should be done, but we were able to reach good compromises for the work.

I do not like planning because I don't think I do a great job of it. And I am perfectionistic and if I don't do something well then I have to perfect it or I beat myself over the head about it. So I hung in there until about April--got all the 3 year plans and project proposals done and I was exhausted. One of the fun things I got to do was to work with Patrick Schmidt from SIL to do team building and I loved it. We worked well together!

There were other problems that weighed heavily on us. I was not sleeping well, I was on the verge of burn out. I was able to get away for 2 weeks of spiritual retreat training in the States and through that Spiritual Retreat I was lead to leave SIL. I had not been working in my strengths and as a result was on the verge of exhaustion and burn-out. I really was not happy doing the job I was doing and 90% of my time was working with budgets, planning and project proposals--definitely not my skill set! A good rule of thumb is to be working in your strengths at least 60% of the time.

I really felt that I needed to be more available as a support for my husband and family. Milton was trying to work on translation, do consulting with other teams that needed him to do a verse by verse check of their translation and he was dealing with a lot of demands on him. He had way more on his plate than he could handle and began to show some stress related health issues. It scared us. He pulled back and set some boundaries. But there were some work situations that were worrisome. No one seemed to understand the pressure he was under and if they did they didn't seem to care. (In our fatigue that was how we felt.) It was up to him to set the necessary boundaries and he did! That was when he decided to go to England to do some research. He found that to be very helpful to just get away for several weeks to research at one of the biggest translation centers in England. He was able to do a lot in a short amount of time! But to find the time to work on that has been impossible.

Someone had told us that marriage and family really suffer when one of the spouses is working on a doctorate.However, there would be a beautiful glimmer--a relationship that was working, the publication of Genesis in Arabic script, the recording of Genesis by partners and my finishing the home study I was working on. I would not have had the time to devote to that if I had not left SIL. I had enjoyed the "volunteer" role I played at Sahel. Nothing materialized out of that and I have mixed feelings how the Lord has lead in that.

Once we got home, picked up our vehicle and started talking we voiced what we both had been feeling--Do we want to return to Niger? I had not voiced a desire to remain in the States, but I was very tired. I could not think about much of anything. Milton voiced his exhaustion and we tried to rest. The week we had at Broom Tree Refuge was ideal. We felt cared for and pampered--something we really needed after the heavy stress we had been under. We also had some awesome times with friends and we cherish those memories. As we have gotten the rest we have also had opportunities to share our struggles with individuals, pastors, and friends who care deeply for us. What a difference that has made. We have managed to do some fun things--Six Flags over Texas, tubing on a lake in Arkansas, and visiting friends and family. The kids have had a great summer reconnecting with friends, and going on a mission trip to New York.

We were also able to take two days of personal retreat with other missionaries on home assignment. During our times alone with the Lord, we both felt we were to return to Niger. I felt that if I did not return I would be disobedient to the Lord. I do know that I need to set good limits on my time and I still need to recover completely from the near-burnout I faced last year. I want to enjoy my time in Niger and I want to be useful but not at the sacrifice of my health and well-being.

God has proven himself faithful and we plan to return to Niger where we are committed to working together for peace and unity in order to see God build His church among the Fulani. We also intend to play more and not take ourselves too seriously.

Milton has tremendously difficult months ahead of him--teaching at a translation training in Sept., presenting a paper at a translation conference in October in Dallas, then months of working with his team to prepare them for possibly more changes.

As the kids are both in high school and these years really count, it is increasingly more important that we consider their needs. What is interesting is that both kids have expressed a desire to graduate from Sahel. We hope to be able to do that.

We have seen his amazing hand in our lives over and over again. As we return to Niger in a few days we are not fully supported and we are not sure what to do with that piece of the puzzle. We have trusted the Lord in the past and he has always provided for our needs. This time we have had to struggle to see people, have reliable transportation, and to try to reconnect well, etc. It was a struggle all around with glimmers of grace thrown in. I feel that when I am well rested, in the Word daily, and praying I am able to handle the struggles that come (stranded on the Interstate twice was very discouraging!) It is when I am running on empty that things begin to look hopeless. But that is a time for the Lord to show His strength--and for the Body of Christ to help! Thanks to everyone who has prayed for us consistently, who have supported us for years and we pray that God will continue to use you in our lives.

Coincidences turn our hearts to God

2011-04-26T15:13:00.004+01:00

I love it when I can see God at work in a situation. There have been many times in the last month where I have seen God at work! It has thrilled my heart to know that I can trust Him to lead me and guide me. I do not need to fret or steam about something, but simply look up and find him in the midst of the mess!

Things are not easy here in Niger. Try getting a document to the States to be mailed when on a Sunday evening in the English service, no one stands up to say they are traveling. There are no travelers on the travel list and you have exhausted your network of friends trying to find someone to hand carry important documents to the States for an adoption you are working on.

That happened last week. A family I know had just completed their adoption but not when they planned on it. Their hearing was set for Wed. It was postponed until Fri. a.m. and they had a flight to leave here on Thurs. night. Due to problems in a neighboring country their flight was postponed until Fri. night. Their adoption hearing was Fri. a.m. I found out from another friend that they were traveling that night. That afternoon I handed them two letters to mail for us and they hand carried them to the States! They, too, are just beginning to realize God's hand in their lives. When I talked to her I told her this whole adoption area was a God thing and she immediately connected with me. She is looking forward to talking more once they are back from vacation.

Two days before that I really felt prompted to contact a social worker in the States for a child abuse registry clearance we needed. It had been about a month and we had heard nothing. They had never received the letter with the form that was needed. She asked us to FAX it. Where on earth do you get a FAX sent in Niger? She was understanding and allowed me to send the signed PDF files via email. That day was a holiday in the States so I have not heard from her since. But don't you think that now that I have had personal contact with her that she will be more inclined to help us get a speedier reply?

And this week...I was looking at some forms and had a lot of questions but not sure who to ask. I remembered someone who had helped us greatly last year but she has since transferred from Niger. How do I contact her since I did not have her email. I was able to do so via Facebook! Now I am once again waiting to hear from her. But in all these little things I see God's hand written all over it! He is in control not me. He is guiding me and it is exciting to see all the pieces come together.

Now if parenting my own teenagers were so easy! Maybe if I did the same when situations come up that are totally beyond me I could get the same response and give the same response!

How exciting to see God at work.

HELPING ADOPTIVE FAMILIES

2011-04-15T11:45:00.003+01:00

Little did I know how God would lead once I left SIL. A lot has hinged on that one sentence. I thought one thing and God another! It has been an interesting and delightful journey. There have been days when I wondered how on earth the Lord would work something out. Then when I got the answer instead of being disappointed because it wasn't the way I thought it would be, I would have to praise God for what he was doing.

In February I started working with a family who are adopting a teenager! We first tried to find an agency that I had worked with years ago as a social work consultant in Iowa. I was working as a school social worker during the daytime and I also contracted with this adoption agency to check their case files, and make sure they were doing what they were supposed to be doing. They did not have a master's level social worker so they contracted with me. I learned a lot during that time! Then when I was raising support to go to Liberia as a short term missionary I worked for them again to open up their South Dakota office. I worked with birth moms at that time and I remember feeling like at times I was in over my head in the whole area of adoptions! Little did I know that one day I would be an adoptive mom or that I would help other families with their home studies!

When we adopted 15 years ago, it was not the same as it is today. Inter-country adoption regulations are much more stringent. Thankfully the Lord provided someone who knew how to navigate through all the bureaucracy of INS (now called USCIS). We did our own adoption in Benin working through the local church. It helped that I was a social worker and had some idea as to how things should work! hah! It was a real cultural experience and I can empathize with adoptive families who wonder if it will ever be finished! Of course when we left Benin we were just starting the process! The home study wasn't completed, the U.S. Embassy had given us the wrong visa and we had a couple years of work ahead of us before she became a U.S. citizen! and we had to leave the U.S. to get her visa! But from the beginning we saw God's hand on the whole process, leading us, guiding us each step of the way! When ever we got stuck in some bureaucratic office in IL a senator or congressman helped us out. I became an advocate for our daughter!

My daughter Alicia and I last month!

o now when I am talking to a family I remind them and myself that God is in this and that we will get through it together. We have seen his hand leading each step of the way. I have learned so much in the past month. How the Lord is going to use it I am not sure, but I am sure that he will for his glory!

One very delightful thing that happened. We were looking for an agency and we thought the one I had worked with in the past would surely authorize me to do the home study. For me it was a no-brainer. But God had another plan. We quickly found another agency that would work with me. I have had to prove that I am not a weirdo (that wasn't so easy you know after all you have to be a little weird to stick it out here for this long!) and that I was qualified to do the job. I have signed a contract with Adopt Abroad to conduct home studies here in Niger for adoptive families from the States. As a bonus I also get to do some free training with them through Adoption Learning Partners. The same week I got this fantastic link to prepare adoptive parents I got an email survey from the agency we done our adoption through! They wanted me to take a survey from their new website, Adoption Learning Partners. The social worker who had done our home study 15 years ago was now doing these training sessions on the internet. I was blown away because $35 here $50 there adds up but I got one of the courses free. Now it also looks like I can take advantage of the offer in the future to get more training in this whole area because I am working with Adopt Abroad! I say I am working with them but in actuality, I am not charging for my services to missionaries. I feel it is one way I can pay forward what I wished I had had as an adoptive parent--a home study done in the country where I was adopting!

This home study I am working on currently makes the third I have done. Each time I get great satisfaction in providing this service that no one else out here can do! (That is not coming out of pride, just stating a fact. There isn't as far as I know anyone else in this community qualified to do this.) It gives me pleasure to know that I can do this well! I don't always know what needs to be done but I have learned the process and am so grateful for an organization that does it well!

I am also grateful for a mission that allows me to provide this service when it's needed!

Benin NT dedication

2011-02-04T07:40:00.000+02:00

Bakuure New Testament Dedication January 29, 2011

2011-01-31T21:55:00.010+02:00

When I heard the road to Benin was really bad and what would usually take us 9 hours to do could be done in 10 to 11 hours, I didn't think that was so bad. Boy was I in for a surprise. I also thought that our shocks were already bad, but I couldn't get them looked at before we left! Another thought I had was that we needed a different spare tire, because ours was not very good. I had changed the inner tubes in all four tires so I thought we were good to go! I also had my Back Friend, a specially made seat that helps to support my back! We also had two extra people with us and they could help us with the driving--it wouldn't be just the two of us to do it all!

The trip down was a night mare! From the other side of Dosso to the border the road was almost non-existent to say the least! Huge pot holes, or the paved road completely missing! 67 km of really bad, bad roads, the worse I had seen in Niger or in Africa! 6 hours to the border! It took us 14 hours to drive to Parakou. The road in Benin was just as bad. We had about 2 hours of good road and the other 6 hours was really bad. There were port cars and big 18 wheelers driving all over the road! Flying at very high speeds over really, really bad roads.

We saw two bad accidents, a driver was killed and an innocent bystander. That was just south of Kandi. As the cars traveled to Kandi the news had traveled up and the mob of angry people killed two more drivers of the port cars. (Port cars are cars that have been shipped from Europe on containers and they are sold in Niger.) There were about 500 of these cars going north. They don't slow down in villages, and they take many risks. We were later told that they have an escort but many times they get separated from the police escort that they have. We never saw the police escort but we saw the cars. I was so scared that by the time we got to Parakou I was almost in tears. I had prayed the last two hours for the Lord's protection because we were traveling over bad roads after dark!

Once we got settled in and I had taken a shower we went over to greet our friends Isaac and Marie-Claire.

Isaac is the President of the SIM related churches in Benin but also the translator for the New Testament that was being dedicated. After a very emotional greeting we went inside to chat a bit. Marie-Claire and I had been good friends when we lived in Benin. I had not seen her in 4 years!

Out from one of the bedrooms came another friend--Delphine, the widow of a Fulani pastor. What a wonderful time I had with these two dear ladies. They have been my friends for the past 15 years. I had given Delphine some examples of bags and other things to make with foam rubber and African cloth 15 years ago and she began a project that has continued to this day. She makes lovely bags and gifts. I so wanted to show her my trashy bag--made out of little plastic water bags sewed together with an African cloth on the bottom and zippered shut! Very practical bag for the market and it doesn't look too complicated to make but we didn't have time to show her and after the dedication near her home village she stayed behind to visit.

If I had to make that trip again--if I had to relive that nightmare road--it would have been worth it to see my friends Delphine and Marie-Claire. Our hearts are bound together--we love one another and look forward to times like this to just be together!

On Sat. a.m. after repairing one flat tire we left for Gararu where the dedication was to be held.

We weren't sure of the turn but the Lord provided a couple along the way to guide us!

About 2 km. off this road snuggled in among a grove of mango trees next to the village and the church and school is where we had the ceremony. Big tents were set up to keep the sun out and they had several sections--one for all the expats and pastors, one for the traditional Fulani kings and chiefs, one for the mayor, the government officials and everyone else sat on mats, or at desks from the school.

There was also a section for the different choirs--but I think only two were there.

These were some of the kids from nearby.

These kids just walked in for the event!

Daniel is Alicia's uncle and a pastor who works in evangelism with the local churches

Elisabeth a long time friend and happy that the New Testament is in her language!

The mayor the son of a Fulani pastor

There were several speeches but none were overly long, a history of the project and honor was given to all who had been involved. An effort was made to acknowledge everyone's help. Milton had played a major role in this project as he had provide consultant help for the team to insure the accuracy and quality control of the text. They wanted to make sure that those who would be reading the text would understand it. Just before they gave out copies of the New Testament it was presented to everyone by Rene Vallette, who is affectionately known as the father of the project because he has been involved since the beginning. He, Milton, and Pierre Barassounou have been the translation consultants for the project.

Complimentary copies of the New Testament were given to each person who had been involved in the work including us! It was exciting to see that the translators' wives were given copies as well! None were overlooked.

The Church in Benin has a long history of using the Camerounian Bible in Fulfulde but understanding only about 75% of what they read. We have recently learned of the revision of this Bible--much needed as it was done before the days of all the checks that are now done to insure that no verse is left out and it is comprehensible!

The two Bible texts that were read were from Matthew and Hebrews. These were the two books that Milton had consultant checked.

Near the end of the ceremony they asked the mayor from that area to speak. He is the son of a Fulani pastor and he was so happy to see the New Testament in his language! He said that there is a low literacy rate among the Fulani but that everyone should help to teach the children to read and write so they could read the Word of God. But his words, "I am so proud today to have the New Testament in my language." was really touching!

After the ceremony the New Testaments went on sale and the 500 copies that were ready for distribution were soon sold out.

People lined up to get their New Testaments!

One of the joys of being part of this celebration was being able to visit with friends and pastors we had not seen in 4 years!

After the celebration we ate with the UEEB pastors and leadership. Pounded yams, with a delicious sauce and chicken made the day complete.

Later in the evening (after fixing two flat tires!) we ate supper at Pierre's house. Another feast of yam fries, rice, and couscous along with fresh fruit!

That topped off our very short visit to Benin and we made our way home on Sunday tired but full of joy at what the Lord had done! We will never take God's protection for granted as we travel. The road was just as bad returning to Niger, the border crossing easy, and the 70 kilometers of bad road in Niger didn't take away from the deep satisfaction we had!

Getting Ready for Christmas

2011-01-21T19:33:00.008+02:00

My friend Mary lives in this little house (called a maisonette). She has the bottom apt. in this building. It is one bedroom with a small kitchen, living room and dining room together. Milton and I slept in her sitting room. It was very cozy. Because we did not have a lot of space we did not decorate for Christmas. Mary had lots of Christmas cards she received (that seems to be a tradition that still carries on there in England!) and she displayed them on little shelves sandwiched in with her china collection.

I brought a few decorations that are traditional at our house including Christmas stockings!This Christmas batik went up in the living room and we displayed a soap stone nativity I had brought for Mary. I had a lot of fun finding small gifts while we were out for the kids! But I wondered what would be in my stocking! (I still have not instilled in them the excitement of buying little gifts for each other to put in Christmas stockings!) But I had a blast finding little gifts for them. It is easy to buy for Alicia--earrings, lip gloss, makeup, toe socks, etc. and she is good! John on the other hand was extremely difficult to buy for and I think he ended up mostly with candy.

Just before Christmas Milton and I went down town Leicester and shopped. One day we took the kids and that was o.k. but they got tired! I wanted to make sure they had gotten presents for everyone, but I wasn't sure they had bought the book I wanted on prayers (they didn't! It was gone when I went back after Christmas to buy it!) But the elephant, a Christmas ornament and a nativity scene all from the Just Fair Trade store they did buy! We stopped to get something to drink and dashed into Costas but when we saw the prices about $7 a cup of coffee we went over to McDonald's just across the street!

We also went to the Clock Tower, the Guild Hall, and the Cathedral that day.

We went back to the Market where we found this interesting book!

We wanted to show it to Timmy Moore! While in the market we bought more socks!

One of our favorite holiday activities is putting together a puzzle. We found four puzzles a the charity shop for 4 pounds sterling. We kept two of them and left two to be given back to charity.

On Christmas Eve we walked down to the local shops that were open. A florist had little Christmas trees that were just a couple of dollars.

This one had purple glitter on it so we didn't have to decorate it! We decorated a low table and put our wrapped gifts on it. Christmas Eve we opened the stockings and on Christmas morning the gifts. The kids were really excited and surprised because I had bought some of the things I saw they liked--a poster of MarioKart and Justin Bieber for Alicia!

Holidays in England

2011-01-13T18:22:00.026+02:00

When Milton began to plan his trip to England I could not imagine him being gone for 2 months. But he needed a good chunk of time to do research for his doctorate.

Everything fell into place quickly for his trip including a place to stay. This family has been extremely helpful to him treating him like part of the family! They provided a heavier coat, gloves, cap, and scarf so that he didn't have to go out and buy them. They have fed him, helped him sort out bus schedules, etc. They have been great! We were blessed.

Then I started to make arrangements for our trip and that came together too pretty quickly. We decided that if we took three weeks in the middle of his time it would be easy to support his not being here for 7 weeks! Two weeks apart on each end of our trip would be doable.

My friend Mary who was a teacher at ELWA Academy in Liberia in 1988 and 1989 and Sahel Academy in 1990 graciously offered to host us for almost a month! She has a small house and she lives down the street from her Mum! So she stayed with her Mum and we stayed in her house.

Travel to London was long! We had a couple hours wait in Niamey for our plane to arrive. So what is new with Air Maroc? We had several more hours to wait in Casa Blanca than planned. They could have put us up in a hotel for the time we spent waiting in the airport for the plane to arrive that would take us to London! We arrived at Heathrow on time but it took us about an hour to get our bags and get through passport control. We spent 45 min. waiting for an agent to process our passports. With the crowd you would have thought they would have had more than two agents working. The kids and I then took the Tube from Heathrow to St. Pancras Station to catch the train to Leicester. Our credit card wouldn't work and I had to find an ATM machine to get pounds (they wouldn't accept Euros or dollars!). This was the only time the ATM worked in England because you have to be able to swipe your card as the ones in England have a chip in it and ours do not. I didn't know this until later but thankfully the one at the train station did work.

We got our tickets and found the platform. I did not know which carriage (what they call the train cars) to get in nor where to sit. Several times we had to move because we were in someone's seat even though it said unreserved. I was able to call Mary from the train station and boy was it cold waiting for her and Milton to come for us. We did get in at a decent hour and off we went to Pizza Hut to get take away pizza! It seemed we were a long ways from the train station when in fact it wasn't that far. And the Pizza Hut was within walking distance of our house!

Mary asked us if we minded being on our own for the next day (Sun.). She gave us a map to find the local church so we could attend the Christingle service for the youth of the church (there were about 10 children but no youth other than our kids!)

They had oranges,to symbolize the world, with a red ribbon around it to symbolize the blood of Christ., a candle in the top to signify the light of the world. There were toothpicks with raisins in them to symbolize the 4 seasons and God's provision for us. They had a catchy little song they sang and it was a very meaningful service as we lit our candles in a circle around the church.

We only visited this church that day about a 10 min. walk from Mary's house.

The other Sundays we went with Mary and her mum to their home church, St. Paul's which was about a 15 min. walk from her house. They hold their worship in the Community Center since the old church is not safe. I remember the worship service in the old building when I visited in 1990.

On Mon. after we arrived Mary took us shopping at the supermarket where she works. Wow was I ever overwhelmed.

It is one thing to be in a Super Wal-Mart and be overwhelmed but being in England where you find the names of things are different is another thing! Mary was a great help! Alicia found some really cute tops and unbeknown to her Mary purchased them and put them in her car for Christmas. We did the same thing with a couple of things for John! Boy were they surprised. They had asked me to buy them some stuff and I explained I didn't have any money! Which was true as I did not have any sterling at that point!

That next Sun. night we went to a 9 Lessons in Carols at the oldest church in Leicester which was built in either the 1300s or 1400s.

That was so cool! Mary sang in the choir and the music and ambiance was exceptional! Wow!

We walked to and from the church, very cold, and about a 20 min. walk. We got hamburgers at the local T.J.s a shop that would become quite familiar to us. For $3 we could get enough French Fries to feed us all! Sometimes I would make something at home and we would get French fries to go with it. One night we tried Indian take away and I ended up eating Alicia's and she ate my hamburger! For Christmas Eve I made a chicken and corn chowder and we got some Polish bread to make garlic toast with! Christmas morning I made bacon and eggs, toast, and juice. We didn't have a frying pan so my life was rather complicated because of it! Mary just doesn't use one!

Before Christmas we all went shopping at ASDA (the Wal-Mart of England). It wasn't as big as the stores in the States. We took the bus to get there and actually got off where we were supposed to! Across the road from it was a big shopping center and we went there for lunch at Pizza Hut (an amazing deal for the four of us)! Then we met Mary at Sainsbury and she took us home! That day she had worked all day and was really tired. I felt bad because she had to help me with my shopping. I was trying to get a few things to make Christmas Eve special. I was also trying to plan meals for the days we would not be able to shop! And there were only convenience stores close to us not any grocery stores.

Downtown Leicester was so much fun. It was a 30 min. walk and once you got there, everything was cobblestoned and pedestrian! There were several shopping malls, but I think the kids were quite overwhelmed by the shops!Several times before Christmas we walked or took the bus and really had fun exploring the charity shops, the Fair Trade Store and the Leicester Market. Just before Christmas Milton and I went downtown and shopped for presents for the kids. They stayed home and watched movies and played games, or listened to music. It was really cold and a bit slippery in places due to the lack of snow removal on sidewalks. We had a great time together! We just enjoyed exploring shops, getting lost, and trying to figure out the bus stop to get off at! By the time we left we had figured out what street to ask for!

I will save Christmas dinner for another post as it was so special and deserves its own space.

Cracked Pots or Useful Vessels

2010-10-29T08:06:00.002+02:00

Love your neighbor as yourself is the most important commandment after loving God! Most of us have no problem with the loving God part. Not always easy but easier than loving our neighbor. A quote from Teamwork, "So often in the church or in other Christian work and mission, we justify damaged relations on the importance of 'getting God's work done.' The history of the Church over the two thousand years has often failed to demonstrate that Christians love one another. No matter what relationship we are in we must give higher priority to the importance of maintaining the unity of the body, to maintaining loving relationships. to act as though relationships are only secondary that in our zeal for God's work we can neglect these, is to miss the whole point of the Christian faith. Loving God is difficult, but he is a gracious forgiving God. Loving others is even more difficult, because 'the other' is not a perfect loving and forgiving being, and neither are you. There is nothing that exposes our self-centered attitudes more than living and working alongside other people. Love is the mark of our discipleship and it speaks louder than any thing we do for the Lord."

What if our reason for being a missionary is not to do great things or great programs for people but to conform our hard headed stubborn selves into suitable vessals that can be used by Christ? What if that is the only reason we are here? Someone said to me that missionaries have to be stubborn and hard headed in order to work here (in Niger). I so disagree with that statement because it is just the opposite that Christ is teaching me!

What is brokenness and surrender all about if it is not to make us into the image of Christ so that the people we have come to minister to will see Christ and not our stubborn, hardheaded selves? What if that is what is going to bring people to Christ, not our stubbornness, but our brokenness. Another quote I read prior to this was that in a country where there is an established church, one of the questions asked by the church about missionaries is "Is he/she broken?" If they are broken then they can work together! So many times we come out with our own programs, agenda, etc., and we aren't willing to work with others--either from our own mission or with other missions. We aren't willing to set aside our own programs for the sake of unity and for the sake our relationship. We waste so much time, energy and resources because we refuse to work together! Break me and conform me to your image O Lord! I want to be like you! I want to be useful!

What if God is trying to strip me of everything so that all the Fulani, the Zarmi, etc. see is Jesus? They don't want to see my degrees, my expertise, my efficiency, my frugal lifestyle (that is still so very wealthy in comparison.) They only need to see Jesus. Jesus said, "By your love for one another!" If we love one another and forgive one another people will want what we have. We have to be willing to do that though.

Jesus' prayer in John 17 20-23 is for us, those who have believed the disciples' message of unity. He prays that we would be one just as he and the Father is one. Why? So that the world may believe that the Father had sent him. He prays, "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." He also prays that we might know the Father's love in the way that Jesus had known it. He said he would continue to make the Father known so that the love the Father had for him would be in us and that Jesus himself would be in us. Do you grasp that? That we can know the same kind of love that Jesus had with the Father and that this is how the world will know Jesus?

The only way we can live in this kind of unity and love is to have a humble, forgiving heart--one that is quick to forgive. Help me Lord to be just that, humble and forgiving full of Jesus' love.

Baby Presentation in Niger

2010-10-23T23:22:00.011+02:00

What makes a baby naming ceremony different between the Muslim culture and Christian culture? That was the question I was asked today when I returned from the ceremony.

Let me tell you the similarities because we have a lot of similarities. The whole community turns out! Everyone brings a gift to give to the mom (and maybe for the father but I'm not sure!). Men sit separately from the women, the mom and baby are in a separate bedroom where they receive visitors!

When it is time for everything to start the mom and baby meet the dad out front (they don't do this in the Muslim culture, the moms stays apart)and they sit in some very important looking chairs! There is a prayer and a message usually evangelistic.
This is different in the Muslim culture because a goat or sheep is slaughtered and the baby's name is pronounced. Before this a bit of hair or all it's hair is shaved off. They did not do that at this presentation!

Then there is food! Lots of food! Popcorn! Sandwiches! Cola nuts and dates are passed around as people are being seated. Today's ceremony was only done in Hausa but I guess most everyone there speaks Hausa so those of us who didn't know Hausa, didn't really need to know what was being said. I just enjoyed being with friends and seeing some friends I had not seen in a long time.

Afterwards I put my running shoes back on and away we went to have pancakes back home!

One Chapter ends and another opens

2010-09-29T23:55:00.004+02:00

This morning, instead of attending the usual Wed. SIL prayer meeting, I needed to keep working with the Regional LPM who is here only until Sun. and we had to get a lot of stuff covered! I noticed my husband and his two Fulani colleagues go in the conference room. I should have known something was up! We have been having devotions in the paillotte (gazebo with thatched roof) not in the conference room! But I didn't suspect anything thing. Usually Milton comes alone to the prayer meeting. About 9:45 a.m. Barb came and knocked on the door to ask if I could come so they could pray for me and also for another colleague who is leaving. I walked in to a circle of friends all gathered to pray for us. I gave a few prayer requests and people began to pray. Soon I heard, "Mi yetti..." and I thought, "He's praying for me. This is so, so special. I've never heard him pray and never had he prayed for me!" I couldn't hear everything he said but Milton said it was special as he prayed for my transition to my new role.

Afterward we went over to the paillotte for the party and I was given this beautiful cross plaque that says "From SIL Niger. For your service given to SIL."

As we were getting ready to go home, I was given a lovely wooden butter fouette used by the Fulani to make butter from their milk! Once again by this same dear brother I was blessed and honored. They started to leave but the other brother said he had something to say as well. I have known him far longer and have always loved this brother. I look forward to spending eternity with him! He is so precious. Then he began to give me blessing after blessing on my work, with my husband, my children. He ended by saying that he could see the love of Jesus in my eyes!

As we talked later, Milton shared with me that he had talked to them yesterday and these two brothers said they wanted to be there to pray for me. You do not know what a sacrifice that is for one of them. You do not know what that could cost him, but I know and I was blessed by his sacrifice.

Prayer is Work

2010-09-11T00:08:00.007+02:00

I have been burdened for some time at the lack of people who turn out for prayer meetings--we saw the same thing in the U.S. as we do here. There tends to be a faithful few who pray faithfully every week. They pray and things happen! But we have seen the numbers dwindle as years have gone by. In our home church a dozen would be a lot of people for prayer meeting.

We realize the importance of prayer but do we take time to pray corporately? I am impressed when colleagues come in from the bush and they come to the prayer meeting! I don't know if that would be me if I were in the same situation! It probably would because I would think that I would catch people at that meeting! I am being brutally honest here. One of the things I did on my recent retreat was to read an article on prayer, about impossible prayers. The author made a list of 10 impossible prayers and started to pray for them, but after a few days she began to look at it every now and then but did not keep those needs before the Lord like she thought she would. Then a few months went by and then a year. When she looked at her list after a year she discovered that the Lord had answered her prayers in spite of the fact that she did not pray for those on her list every day. I also made a list of 10 people or things to pray for as the author had done. I have kept track of which prayer requests have been answered--whose cancer is in remission, relationships that are better, and there are a couple on the first list that are still there but I have been praying for those for 30 years! I keep adding to my list as the prayer requests that I consider impossible are answered one by one. What I noticed is that I don't consistently take time to pray for those impossible prayer needs but that the Lord continually answers those prayers. It has spurred me on to be more consistent in prayer and to be one of those faithful few who turns up at prayer meeting every Wed., Thurs. and Fri. mornings!

A Third/Fourth grade teacher should be right up there on that impossilbe prayer list! On Wed. 4 of us moms prayed with the third/fourth grade kids. We were supposed to do popcorn prayers and rotate between kids and moms but we couldn't get a prayer in edgewise with the kids! And you know what those kids who were praying learned to pray quite early wouldn't you think? Maybe their moms and dads taught them to pray, and some of them came to prayer meetings with their moms or dads when they were small. I think they must have learned that we depend on prayer and that God will answer our prayers if we take the time to pray together.

After we prayed with the kids we went back to the dorm to finish our prayer time. We no longer take time to talk about prayer requests but we pray them and sometimes a mom will add on to the prayer of another mom for a kid or a teacher or a situation or someone's sickness. We spend the time in prayer, some of us on the floor praying others sitting but in prayer. When we leave the room we know we have been with the Lord and that he is going to do something amazing!

We are still waiting to see how he is going to answer our impossible prayers but we know He will.

Flooding continues

2010-09-07T22:42:00.003+02:00

Just when it looked like river roads were passable the road is flooded. The director of Sahel Academy visited the River Basin Authority today to ask if the school should be concerned about the flood waters! Yes! We need to be concerned. Although they have never had any drills for flooding they are thinking through what they should do in case of flooding. The water could get as high as 1 1/2 feet! There is one part of the dike that is remaining. Pray that it will remain intact! Pray the waters will not rise further!

Do What You Are!

2010-09-01T17:26:00.005+01:00

I have been reading a book called "Do What you Are". I wish I had read it a long time ago! It was recommended as a tool to use with high school students to help them figure out their personalities and then discover what career might fit their personality type. Of course I am using it to help me understand my husband! We are such polar opposites but what a challenge it gives us to support each other in the way we like to be supported! He loves a good challenge anyway and I am definitely a challenge to figure out!

Recently we could have used this knowledge to help us understand the complexities of a few problems we have encountered. At least this information will be helpful for future reference!

What happens when two people try to work together who are polar opposites? Sparks fly! Milton said that was one of the attractions with me. There were lots of sparks.

But there is potential for hurt feelings when we don't understand each other. Whether it is husband or wife or work relationships or friendships. If we don't take the time to understand how the other person operates our friendship and relationship can easily derail! We can say things that we don't mean, and things we can't easily take back. There is potential for angry hurt feelings. I am learning that those angry words stay around for a long time!

Sometimes it is hard for me to admit that I am not the best suited for a certain role. I have learned that if I want a complex situation analyzed, or a problem solved I go to my husband. He loves a challenge. I have also learned that if I need to know how to approach something related to translation he is the one to ask. He knows his field! If he doesn't know it he usually knows who I should ask.

He has learned that if he wants to know how to handle a relationship problem (if I am not involved) I can give him good advice on what to do.

My husband is well suited for the career he chose many years ago. It requires clear logical thinking and innovative approaches to problems and challenges. Seeing how one element or event fits into an overall pattern or system is a particular strength of his. He loves working with a team to help them to creatively say something in their language. When he is working on his own translation he loves to see how things fit together. If a word is used in a certain text he knows how it should be used somewhere else in a similar text.

When he is preparing for a checking session he loves to share with me some of his findings. He loves to encourage teams in their creative expression of a passage. When they have done a good job of translating something complicated he lets them know.

I remember when he found the word for cross in Fulfulde. Several translations were using a word that meant cross beam but it didn't mean cross in our dialect. He finally found a word for a cross shaped stick and then put it together with kill. The cross was the stick or wood that kills! I remember how excited he was to have discovered that word and to clearly communicate its meaning.

In Do What You Are, there is a section that talks about each of the 16 profiles and it also gives you some counsel as to how to avoid problems due to your personality! For example INTPs need to develop their sensing and feeling functions. Plans need to be moved out of the conceptual stage and into the practical. This section also gives the INTP tips on how to make the most of their job, such as delegating routine and mundane tasks to others, making sure to have enough time to develop their ideas and think things through, finding other creative people to bounce theri ideas off of, surround themselves with others whose talent and competence they respect. The INTP has many strengths that seem to be overlooked at times. They have the ability to understand very complex and highly abstract ideas, great creative problem-solving skills, ability to synthesize lots of information, ability to analyze things logically even under stress, objective, ability to address issues without taking them personally, ability to see the big picture; to see the implications of actions and ideas and last but not least the ability to adapt. They can shift gears and change directions quickly.

THE SECRET TO SUCCESS FOR AN INTP IS LEARNING TO

Be better organized, (thanks to me),

be patient with less intelligent people (I help him with that as well!),

and work at improving your social skills (that's where a very social wife comes in!)

Saturday morning walks

2010-08-31T21:27:00.004+01:00

One of our favorite Saturday morning activities has been walking down by the Niger River. I usually pack us muffins and coffee, water, a pair of binoculars and we are off. I love to sit on one of the hills, which have become buttes because of the erosion and watch the activity in the valley below me. There is a marshy area with cattails, butterflies, and birds. The past two weeks we saw these beautiful yellow and black birds that look like butterflies when they fly! There were at least 10-20 of them sitting on the reeds of the cattails. We never got close enough to take a picture but close enough to describe them to one of my bird watching friends in Mali who told me exactly what they were. Golden crowned bishops!

This little bird is in his nuptial colors and you should see him once the rainy season is past and there is less places to hide well! When everything turns drab brown around here so does he! Here he is during the dry season. I think he visited our front yard and I could not find him in my bird book. Of course the one I have is for Parc W the game reserve here in Niger but has a lot of birds that I see outside the reserve.

Forgiveness and brokenness

2010-08-23T22:56:00.003+01:00

Sunday night I was struck by a couple of things that our director said in his message at NEWS our English service. He spoke on Amos. Our God is a fiercely jealous God. We need to understand God's wrath. He does not want to be shared with any other god. He doesn't want to be shared with jealousy, pride, anger, immorality, impure thoughts, etc. We can not minister effectively if we harbor resentments against someone, or are mean spirited about something. Our fellowship with God suffers. I think we need to hear this message daily, until we start doing what we are supposed to do. Forgive one another. It is not enough to just forgive but we need to make things right with those we wrong.

From my 12 years of experience here in Niger and 5 years in two other Africa countries, we sometimes feel we can say and do what ever we want to someone else and it is o.k. I grew up in a family like that. My mom would blow up at me and call me names and the next day it was as though nothing had every happened. But there was no forgiveness, no going back and admitting that she had done something wrong. My sister had the same tendency. I vowed that if I knew there was a problem I would try to repair the damage. If I hurt someone and I know I have I tend to be quick to ask forgiveness. If I am in relationship with the person I will do it face to face. But it isn't easy to do and sometimes I find that others do not receive it well.

There have been a couple of times when I had to let go of a relationship because the damage could not be repaired. My sister hasn't spoken more than 10 words to me in 4 years! Why? I don't know. She has never told me what it is that I have done that has hurt her so deeply that she does not want anything to do with me. Most relationships are not like that, but I wonder why it is that Christians find it so hard to ask forgiveness. We can read stories about Corrie TenBoom and what happened to her and how she forgave the atrocities against her and her family. But we can't ask someone to forgive us when we say unkind things about someone. Why is that so much harder than forgiving a killer of innocent people? I think it has to do with pride. God is not going to let us alone either. He will continue to bring people into our lives until we decide we are going to live a broken life--one of humility and service.

On the mission field we live in a fish bowl and quite often I might say something that will hurt someone else's feelings. I need to learn to go to that person and ask forgiveness. When I see someone is avoiding me I need to find out why. What is it that I have done to cause the problem. I need to learn to be quick to forgive. Say I am sorry. We all need to learn to do this. I am sure you know when you have hurt someone. If you aren't speaking to someone you used to be friends with there is something wrong. Take care of it. There is a whole world out there looking at how we Christians treat each other. One of my brothers used to say to me that he would get right with the Lord as soon as my other brother and my sister started talking. He is now dead and they still aren't talking. What is it that they don't understand about this forgiveness thing? Forgiveness is required of us! We can't get around it. I have also heard some people say they have forgiven in their heart and I want to ask,"Does the person you hurt know that you have forgiven them? Have you told them?" It seems to me that if you have forgiven someone you need to let them know! We have a long way to go in this whole brokenness and humility thing. When I say these things I am including myself in the equation. I am not exempt.

Thanks Steve for the message. At least you got us to thinking! May we be examples to one another of Christ's forgiveness and his great love for the World.

Musings

2010-08-23T22:37:00.002+01:00

The past few weeks have been pretty hectic. Of course I knew they would be as we got ready for school. My husband has been very busy--taking on more than he should. I actually had to tell him that he had to start saying no or that I would. He loves his work of translation consulting. There is nothing that he enjoys more than wrestling with a text and helping a translator come up with just the right way to say some complex theological argument so that the audience gets not just the gist of the meaning but the nuance as well. That is how he operates. I don't think I knew how complex his thinking was until just recently when I was doing some reading on Personality Type and read up on his. It made a lot of sense then when I saw how we often fight over things. We see things so differently. When I am upset because he doesn't express his feelings it's because he processes so much on the inside. I read somewhere that a P (Perceiving) is disorganized. They don't throw anything away because they like to keep all the possibilities open. I am just the opposite although I too am a P in some things. I learned from my mom to save everything and I saw the things she saved! I rebelled against that and I try very hard at times to throw out things that no longer work but we do have a vast collection of burned out appliances.

On a general note, I think that over half of the conflicts we have in life is because we do not understand the other person and quite often we assume the worse. When we have to work with someone day in and day out it would seem that we would want to know how they operate, why they do the things they do. Wouldn't it be amazing if we started getting along just because we began to understand how someone we are working with does things and why they do them the way they do? I think it would save us a lot of stress. Now that I know what my husband is about I don't have to always be on his case about things. I can also relax because outward things don't matter to him! It's what is on the inside that counts! And that is becoming more and more important to me as well. I still love those Saturday morning walks down by the river where we can talk about our week and what stressed us out and what we need to do! I love the peace I feel when we are sitting side by side overlooking the Niger river watching a donkey cart in the distance as the village wakes up. I love being able to share my heart with my husband and know that he needs to unload as much as I do. What he unloads might be how he plans to tackle the next consultant checking session or some interesting thing he has found in the back translation or a commentary he has been reading as preparation for the checking session! That is just as important to him as it is for me to share how hurt I was by someone's comment this week, or how I long to be understood by others!

These musings are my musings and are not written with anyone but myself in mind!

The Next Step

2010-08-05T22:51:00.003+01:00

About 6 years ago I volunteered at Sahel Academy and helped junior and senior students with their college applications, deciding on colleges, etc. I put together a lot of resources for students and it looks like the shelf of college catalogues and info is still in the Secondary Building hallway. Whether they get used is another question but it was my little contribution. For a variety of questions--one being furlough, and a second one not being asked, I didn't return to that role. (I began at SIL and I see that as God's timing and sovereignty). Someone mentioned this as a possibility earlier this year and I decided to explore it as there are kids at Sahel and that was one of my themes running through my years of ministry and service.

On Wed. of this week I met with the Administrative team at Sahel to discuss the school counselor/guidance counselor role. I had met with Pastor Dave and Mikki before this and this was the third time I was asked if I wanted to be Sahel's guidance counselor. You would think that the third time would be a charm right? But I still wasn't sure that that is where the Lord wants me, but we were able to work out something that was satisfactory to all of us.

Once I have finished up at SIL the end of September, I will begin working on a program description complete with job description for a guidance counselor. A program to meet Sahel's needs.

I was told I could dream and put that dream on paper. My idea is to research a lot of different schools, talk to several guidance counselors I know. The contacts that I make will help me figure out what the components of a good program is. Then we will see (once we are in agreement to what we want!) where those who are already working on bits and pieces can fit in and whether there is a piece of it for me. I am sure there is as I loved what I did this summer with some of the 8th and 9th graders.

I will continue to ask the Lord each step of the way what he wants me to do just as I did before I went into the meeting on Wed. I was fully prepared to do exactly what I did--share my vision and my passion with the admin team. I also wanted to emphasize that I was there to serve and that I could serve them in this way. They have a heavy load as they do each year but our numbers are growing at Sahel and we need wisdom as to how to address the growing needs.

Pray for me that I would find the best resources, be able to succinctly express my ideas and that the vision would be captured and not allowed to escape. Pray that we would dream big and know that with God all things are possible!

Exploring Careers with 8th and 9th Graders

2010-08-02T21:06:00.002+01:00

This summer I put together several lessons on career exploration. I found some great materials for elementary through 8th grade that I used. We started out with about 5 kids and when we finished about 3 weeks later we had had about 9 kids. We met twice a week for two hours. The time flew! We met in the ERC at SIL and there was just enough room for us!

It was fun to explore personalities through some free tests on line, to figure out what Myers-Briggs profile each one was and then to discover different careers to match our personality profiles. We looked at the Holland Clusters and how that fits together with our personalities. I then showed them how to go to the U.S. Labor Dept. web site and look up different job listings and find out what the salary is for the job, what the qualifications are, and how much schooling was needed. We had planned to do some more after our vacation but we had more or less finished the curriculum and the goals for the class.

Having vacation in the middle didn't help us get motivated to do more after we came home. Most of the comments I had was how much fun everyone had.

Just to see my kids and others seriously thinking and talking about careers was exciting. After the classes we would come home and John and Alicia fought over who was going on the computer to look up jobs! I also heard from a couple of the moms that their boys really enjoyed the class and were talking about the different things we did!

I have a lot of ideas that I would do if I were here next summer but I won't be! I'd do it again if I could and open it up to even more kids. This time it was just word of mouth and Facebook but that was enough for me. I couldn't keep up with everyone as it was!

MC Has Come Back?

2010-07-03T11:28:00.003+01:00

We were planning to go for our usual walk in Goudel this morning but Milton had to first change a tire on our truck. When he went outside there was a Senegal parrot sitting on the top of our Senegal parrots' cage! As I come outside he said there was a parrot that kept coming by to visit our parrots! When I saw him my first thought was that he was our MC (Mango Cream). Milton and the kids bought him at Christmas 2007 and it was such a special Christmas. We got the cage ready and painted green (my favorite color!) and went shopping for the things we would need for MC. Christmas morning we were in Yantala Market looking for bowls and peanuts, and millet. The kids got into the buying as well. We made toys from old NUTS t-shirts (those offered as raffle prizes) from years gone by, braiding bridges, and attaching to the cage.

When we left on home assignment in 2008 the Mattimoes took MC for the year! At some point we got an email that someone had left the cage open and MC had escaped. This was the second time this had happened to us with a bird! I was devastated, because this bird was my bird! He would sit on my shoulder and he was part of the family! He was a beautiful mango and green color thus his name--Mango Cream!

Was this bird MC this morning? We don't know but when I called to him he lowered his head for me ! Of course he was way too far away for me to scratch his head! I hope we can catch him so he can become part of our family once again. The two parrots were calling to him and he would answer! He kept coming back, flying away, coming back for a good hour. I hope he comes back not just to visit but to stay!

Reflection and Prayer training

2010-05-29T12:53:00.005+01:00

How can I express what I have been feeling as I return to Niger after 10 days of reflection and prayer training at a beautiful conference center in South Carolina.

I left Niger pretty much wiped out, somewhat traumatized by the accident we had the day we left in which one young man was hurt (he and a friend ran into our truck with their motorcycle as we were turning left!) Neither of them were seriously injured and the family paid for repairs to our truck! But I was pretty shook up as I left Milton to handle all that! I knew he was tired too. The Lord was gracious and he took us through the two weeks I was away sustaining both of us.

I was renewed and the Lord spoke to me very clearly about what I need to do. I would like to share with you how He did that. We had a series of retreats that we got to experience and one we got to lead or help organize. I fully intended that the time I spent in reflection about 4 hours almost every day would be spent discerning the Lord's will for ministry. We did a Spiritual Inventory on our first retreat and themes that showed up in mine were: children, serving, protecting, adoptions, orphans. The Lord used Isaiah 54 once again to speak to me. In the past--on one occasion when I was single the Lord reassured me of his Love and sufficiency for

me. When we were getting ready to adopt Alicia he used it to reassure me that he would provide other children for me and about a year and a half later we had John. Here he was once again using Isaiah 54 to get my undivided attention. How else would I know he really wanted to talk to me? I also felt I needed to be home more with my kids and that Milton needs my support as he works on his doctorate. I have not been able to provide the support that I think he needs due to the fatigue level I have felt.

Another way in which the Lord spoke to me was by providing a vocational counselor! I was able to talk to Kate extensively about my decision and she prayed with me and reassured me that I was heading in a good direction.

Through the personal worship retreat He reassured me that he would instruct me and teach me in the way I should go. He told me to not be stubborn about this and to not be like a mule. He promised to surround me with his unfailing love if I would only trust in Him.

He also taught me that through suffering I can learn obedience. In another retreat he spoke to me about letting go of the need to "look good." He told me to rest in the assurance that He would accomplish what concerns me.

In another retreat, I read an article about requesting a transfer and the Lord's response was transfer denied. He reassured me that I am not to be taken out of the battle but that I will have a different role to play in the battle. He promised me a period of R&R (renewal and rekindling!) He promised he would set aside a place on the battlefield for me that is insulated from all the battle sounds and fully protected from the enemy. He promised to strengthen me and be my strength, to instill in me confidence and ability. He promised that His Words would rekindle within me a renewed love, zeal, and enthusiasm. He promised to refill me!

He also told me that I worry too much about what others think and not enough about my relationship with him. I have become a slackard in that regard. He told me to come to him and him alone. He wants to give me rest. He told me to take time at the retreat just to rest, to enjoy his creation and to not worry about anything else.

It took some time to fully rest in him, to be able to sit quietly and not have a thousand thoughts racing in my head! But I soon discovered I could hear the still small voice of the Lord. But I had to be quiet myself in order to hear Him!

From the Servant Leader retreat that I helped to lead I also learned that I thrive on recognition and that I have a real problem with being a servant leader. To be a servant first and a leader second that is Christ's model. In another retreat the Lord showed me that I often take up my own life--that it is difficult for me to trust the Lord with all aspects of my life.

Another way in which the Lord showed me he was guiding me was by providing a bus load of orphan children from Uganda to love on for 3 days. Every day I got hugs and got to be Aunty Linda at lunch and supper! They sang for us. When I played their cd in my room one of my favorite songs sang in the SOS Orphanage in Liberia was "Lift Jesus Higher!" Was that another coincidence or can I count on my Lord to get my full attention through some very personal

experiences with other orphans.

On Mon. afternoon I spent a couple hours with the Lord and this time questioning him why the LPM role was so hard for me. I asked question after question about my lack of enthusiasm, the reluctance I feel when I think about returning to it and the answer was simple. It is not the path for me! Again I was reassured to trust the Lord, not myself. To not worry about what others might say. I was also reassured of the Lord's confirmation. He would show me time and time again in different ways that I am on the right path and I just need to trust Him and to learn to hear his voice! I asked about asking Milton and he said to do so! When I talked to him he hadn't heard from the Lord but he had been praying.

During a time of "healing prayer" all I heard was "Wait! Trust!" And two other verses--one was Psalm 37:4 my favorite verse! and Rev. 3:7 "What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name."

Another article I read was "Discerning When we Have Completed What God Has Assigned to Us." How do we know God is uncalling us? 4 points--1 Do what you are primarily designed to do! 2 Is someone else needed to take the work further or in a new direction? 3 Stewardship of gifts--60% fun stuff and 40% grunge stuff! and 4 Is what you are doing a strategic priority? Need alone does not constitute a call.

Brokenness--humility-- serving seemed to come up time and time again.

In the transitions retreat we were asked if we were delighting in the Lord at the end of the day--each and every day? I had to answer it "no" not each and every day. We were challenged to

not be afraid to allow God to use us as a wounded healer in His kingdom. After all it is His grace not our own we are counting on to make the difference. Brokenness is essential in purifying our heart, making it more passionate and safe for ministry to others! How exciting! I had just finished Nancy Leigh DeMoss' book on Brokenness and felt the Lord was breaking me to prepare me to be better used by him.

At the end of the retreat I decided to make one last trip to the cross. I had made several trips here and the Lord had spoken to me here. We talked about the yoke. I had thought I had the right yoke but I had experienced neck pain, headaches, and extreme fatigue. How could I have had the right yoke? So I asked the Lord to take off the ill-fitting yoke and give me the right one. I got my well-fitting, well-suited, light weight yoke. It is smooth and shiny, made of something really light. I hardly feel it at all! Because it is the right-fitting one, one made to use my gifts and abilities.

As I returned from the retreat we made the decision that I would leave my role at SIL. Milton and I talked about the process that I went through. I don't know that the Lord ever told Milton what I should do but he is behind me in this decision and helped me write the letter! The Lord has not yet shown me what he wants me to do. I feel really in need of continued healing after several months of extreme stress. (coups, conflicts, heat, long hours of working in my weaknesses, etc.) As I work through what the Lord is doing I will share with you how he leads me. It has been awesome--from his word, from a former retreat I organized at SIL, how he has used certain people, a vocational counselor, another missionary who had just left a job that seemed ill suited for her, etc.)

Running in the bush

2010-04-20T20:09:00.008+01:00

For several weeks now Milton and I have been going out of town a couple of miles down near the Niger River to run early Saturday mornings. I take coffee and breakfast for us--bread and jam or muffins. We usually do our run and come back to the truck for our breakfast. We open the tail gate of the truck and sit there with our coffee and breakfast. One Sat. we took our coffee with us and ate it sitting on a rock. It is wonderful to get out of town and away from all the noise and people. Where we walk there is a canal and we can walk along the dike to the canal. There are green rice fields, gardens, and the river is in sight.

We have seen parrots and other birds early in our morning walk. It is a time that we can share with each other. We have had some fairly serious issues to deal with at work so these times together are refreshing to say the least. As a matter of fact it is something we guard carefully because we enjoy it so much. We enjoy sharing how the Lord has been working in our week, and how he has spoken to us. We try to take time to pray together as well especially if something comes up in our sharing from the week of activities.

Last week we sat on a rocky ledge overlooking a small canyon!

Well it was a dry river bed or mostly dry. We watched some kids herd 3 or 4 cows into a meadow where there was water and cattails.

Psalm 23 came to mind as we watched the cows graze on green grass.

We talked about walking down the canyon and up the other side. I thought one trail wasn't too steep and Milton thought another one would be easier so that's what we did. We were right behind the Roniers and walked along their fence and on around to the front where we had parked the truck. By the time we got back to the truck it was too hot to walk any more!

My yokes fit well

2010-04-11T09:41:00.003+01:00

"My yoke is well fitting"

I have been working on some material for a spiritual retreat we are planning for the end of April that is based on Matthew 11:28-30. As I was looking up "my yoke is easy" I came across something very interesting on how yokes are made. In Europe and in Canada there were certain kinds of yokes that were made specifically for an ox. It didn't fit any other ox. It fit well that particular ox. There were other yokes that were made to fit up close to the head of the animal. It could be adjusted to get just the right fit so that the yoke did not rub the wrong way and cause sores on the head of the ox. If you had a young ox who had not been broken to work in a team of oxen he was paired with an older stronger bullock. This bullock took all the weight on him. The younger ox did not feel any of the weight of the yoke. As he learned to work together with the bullock and to pull together he was able to take on more weight., to share the burden!

What a joy to know that the yoke he has fashioned for me was made just for me. It is well-fitting. If I have taken on someone else's yoke it will not fit well! It will be a burden. I need to remember that Jesus' yoke is easy and made just for me. It is not a burden. When I am walking in obedience and am in sinc with the Lord, walking in his rhythm and not mine, then it is a joy to be yoked together with him. When I am feeling weak, he takes the full burden. When I am tired and stressed he takes it upon him because he is able to carry all the weight of my burdens. When I am insistent on my way, when I only want what I want, and I am selfish and proud, I feel the weight of the yoke. I am not allowing Him to guide my path. Today may I wear only my yoke and be yoked to my Lord.

My collection of mugs

2010-04-05T23:26:00.002+01:00

I used to have a lot more coffee mugs than I do now. I have mostly cows in my collection these days, but there are one or two elephants thrown in and one cup that has PATIENCE in big letters across the cup.

I have never been long on patience but I am learning to be more patient these days. That cup is about to retire from my mug collection or I might find a new owner for it!

My cow collection is you guessed it! We work among herders. Cows are important to the Fulani. I have even heard it mentioned that cows are more important than family! But others take issue with that. Cows are the livelihood and inheritance of the Fulani so they would be important! But my cows are more entertaining than important. There are musician cows playing guitars and cellos! There are nurse and doctor cows with their stethoscopes and first aid kits and then there are some rather mundane cows simply grazing and ruminating! I collect mugs that matter. I have one from the Tulip Festival in Orange City, IA. We were married there on Tulip Festival weekend. I used to have one from Moody my alma mater.

But the mugs aren't the important thing. It is the friendship that is shared over a cuppa--coffee or tea. And it is the heart that is shared over those mugs!

Coffee mug ministers to me

2010-03-27T15:13:00.005+02:00

In 2005 I brought back a coffee mug that has become very special. Actually I have more than one that are special. Like the one that says, "Patience. I want it and I want it now!" That one I have had since John was a baby! I needed even more patience with two toddlers.

But the mug I brought back in 2005 is really special. It ministers to me with each cup of Kenya coffee I drink out of it! I can hardly stand it if someone else uses this cup because it is so special to me!

Let me tell you why. In 2004, while on furlough we had lots of "ifs" and "maybes" in our life and I was home schooling and it was really a difficult year! I did not feel confident teaching my children and I didn't even have the materials because our mission had mailed the curriculum back to me in Niger that I had mailed to the States! That really made a lot of sense to me and I didn't know what had happened to the curriculum until I got back to Niger and found a package waiting for me that had come from Niger! I realized then that I was not going crazy even though I had not been able to find out what had happened to the curriculum I had mailed with someone coming to the States.

On the cup it says, " I heard my Father say...." then there are all kinds of verses on it that speak of the Father's love, his care, and his provision. It always encourages me and reminds me of God's faithfulness. I use that cup every morning and sit and sip the wonderful first cup of the day and read the reminders that I seem to need even more often these days. As I grow those words are more than just reminders but now they are sweet words of Truth that is only found in my daily relationship with my Saviour!

Roman to Arabic in Fulfulde

2010-03-27T14:53:00.005+02:00

This picture was taken during the recent IT workshop here in Niger. One of the guys who has worked on the Ajami converter for SIL is standing here with me as we show the finished product. Psalm 23 in Western Niger Fulfulde. I had asked him and another IT guy who had also worked on the converter to help several of our teams with the problems they had encountered. They worked on a Sat. morning and two of the four teams have been able to use the program.

During the following week after some exhausting meetings, and both of us were feeling pretty wiped out, I had posted something on Facebook that we were pretty discouraged! There was way too much work to be finished, demands on our time, and we were too nice to say no to some of those demands. I felt we were about to come apart at the seams! I knew Milton was tired--at lunch he would be ready for a nap even if we had guests for lunch! Unusual for him but it had become a regular pattern to deal with his fatigue.

Wed. night we got a message from our Ajami workshop leader. "Could I help you convert some of your texts for testing?" Milton wasn't quite ready to tackle Luke! So he sent Psalm 23 in Fulfulde. "Could you send me Ps. 23 if you don't want to do Luke yet?" Milton chuckled because he had just sent it! Even before he was asked for it. The next morning when we got up, Ps. 23 in Ajami script (Arabic) was waiting in a PDF file. We took it to the office and printed it out! We then gave it plus some brownies to the two IT guys. As Jeff read the words in Arabic, they came out in Fulfulde and I translated for him the meaning," the Lord is my shepherd." So cool! This is what we were hoping for! It is beautiful.

If a missionary who doesn't know Fulfulde can read the Arabic script then a Fulani who knows Arabic should be able to. We will see how the Lord uses this!

Too tired to know what to do

2010-03-20T23:27:00.005+02:00

I finally realized last week that for several months I have been working outside my strengths. When I was home in the States last year, I spent a lot of time in prayer asking the Lord what he wanted me to do when we returned to Niger. I have not been real happy for quite some time in my current role. It wasn't until last week that a light bulb went on for me. We were sitting in our leadership team looking at our personality profiles--ESFJ and I looked at the description once again--likes order, enjoys organizing events and people! And I said "This is not me." I have had to do this in order to do this job but this is not me! I looked at the ESFP--exuberant lovers of life. They live in the moment and find enjoyment in people, food, clothes, animals, the natural world, and activities. " And I said, that is me, but I have been having to work as an ESFJ. I am doing a lot of stuff that I don't enjoy doing but I don't feel that I am good at. It is time to start thinking of a change.

As I looked at the list of what an ESFP is good at--peacemaking, mobilizing people in a crisis (I've always had a good head on my shoulders and my years of experience as a social worker taught me a lot about handling crisis situations!) I tend to be very resourceful. If you are looking for something and don't know where to find it ask me I might just know where to get it! Or I will know someone who does because I have a vast network of friends! I enjoy meeting people--Today I overheard someone say they were from Madagascar and I struck up a conversation with him and found out he was a Christian. I love finding out about different cultures and meeting people who are also strangers in this strange country.

I have just come through a very difficult time in my work and ministry. I have never been as discouraged as I have been recently. Through situation after situation I have felt we were under spiritual attack. I have never seen my husband so stressed as he has been recently and that bothers me a lot. I have been carrying his burden even though I can't fix the problem. One of the things that I have admired about my husband has always been his level of integrity! Translating God's Word into an African language is not easy and takes a great deal of training to do it right. He has been at this for 10 years! He knows what he is doing so it really bothers me if someone even hints that he doesn't! I get angry because I know how hard he works, how difficult his work is, the many hours he spends on it and I also know he takes seriously his level of committment to God's Word, how it is handled and how God sees the work as well. He doesn't ever compromise God's Word and that is what I admired about him when I first met him. But there have been other issues too that have been difficult for me to handle. There are a few situations that are so complicated that I have not been able to figure them out on my own. I have a tendency to feel that I should have the answers! It is sometimes hard for me to ask for help, but in actuality I don't even know where to turn with some of the situations I have had to handle. I am thankful that I do have a couple of coworkers who have proven very helpful. But I still carry the pain my coworkers feel. When they have difficult situations, sick children, or whatever I carry that pain! I don't have as much a problem with that as I know how to deal with other people's emotional pain, but when it gets combined with planning and project funding, and budgets,etc. that seem to be completely out of my area of expertise or giftedness then I worry about those things!

That's the reason I believe it is time for a change. I can't continue to work in my weaknesses--or trying to do well what is so very difficult for me to understand and to put into practice.

I know the Lord has something very special for me to do and I am seeking his will over the next month!

I want to use my gifts and abilities to bring us into the Lord's presence! I want to help energize and refresh my brothers and sisters. Stay tuned for the next episode as it unfolds! Right now pray with me for God's will and provision to be made evident for my life.

RBMs and what to do when you aren't working in your strengths

2010-03-02T21:02:00.003+02:00

Four years ago SIL sent me to some training in Results Based Management but I didn't get it. We had a workshop and I had to help with it on RBM and I still didn't quite get it. I helped the teams to work on their RBM plans but I still didn't quite get it. It was so bad I asked that someone else work on the RBM plans for the teams but she didn't know the planning tool any better than I did. We still didn't quite get it!

When I went to Nairobi last November a part--a very small part of our training was on using RBM. I got it or at least I thought I got it! I also talked to another LPM who totally got it and used it and she helped me look at one or two of the plans I had with me. We critiqued them and I planned to look at them once I got home from the training! I asked another coworker with another mission to come and do a one day workshop on RBM because I still was having problems getting it! I am determined to eventually get it. When a team asks me if what they have just written is an output, or an outcome or an impact, or an activity I realize that we are all struggling to get it!

Last month I set aside time to meet with each translation team individually to help them to get the concepts and to put them into practice. I worked in the evenings with Milton to help him on his plan for the next three years. For some reason this kind of planning doesn't come easy for translators. They just want to translate, but with some good planning we can get the translation done in record time.

I still don't think I have gotten RBM nor I really know how to use it well. I don't think I will ever get it, but the time I have spent with the teams individually have helped me to understand what each one is experiencing, the individual challenges they each face and what God is doing in and through their translation. So even if I don't get it I do get working with the teams and the importance of good planning. If you don't plan well how will you ever know when you have reached your goal? Milton has said that it has helped him to think through several issues he needs to have a handle on! It has helped him to think about issues in a different light. We still aren't finished but we are a lot closer than we were two months ago!!

Christmas Vacation Doings

2009-12-27T22:15:00.007+02:00

I have wanted to get up and walk down by the river to try to see some birds. So I decided we could do so by going down to SIL and walking from there down by the river.
We took quite a long time just getting ready! We decided to walk from SIL around the wall and followed the path hoping that we would eventually find a place to get down by the river. Everywhere we looked were gardens! Right next to the edge of the water! Finally we asked permission to sit under some mango trees and have our snack!

Then we walked down to the dam and enjoyed the wind blowing on the water and watching things pass in the water!

It was just a fun day walking along the river!

Christmas Watt Style

2009-12-27T17:23:00.013+02:00

Christmas is always a little different but we still have a few traditions that remain the same.

Usually we get the decorations out Thanksgiving weekend. This year I wasn't here and the kids got a few things out. The Christmas tree was up but needed to be unloaded with decorations and redone as the branches weren't all out as they should be and decorations were on mostly one side!

Once I got home from Nairobi on Dec. 5, decorating and cookie baking began in earnest.
Christmas celebrations began to take shape and we ended up doing a few things differently this year. Usually there is a celebration with other missionaries where we get together and play games but not this year. Instead some of us got together to watch a Christmas video at SIL. We don't usually go caroling, or we don't usually know about it but this year we organized it as part of our Day of Prayer cell group in the evening. We all went in our truck to different families homes in Kouaro Kano and it was so much fun to see the delightful smiles on kids and adult faces! We ended up at the Benitez home where we had cake and got a drink of water after an hour or two of singing!

We usually have a dinner or celebration at SIL and this year we had an extended coffee break and I organized parts of it--getting French beignets made, Christmas music, Kenyan coffee, etc. It was all very special because most everyone brought something to share.

Christmas Eve we attended part of the celebration at church but because it started so late and was mostly in Hausa and was loud we came home early.

Christmas morning I was up early to get breakfast started because that is a favorite part of our celebration! Bacon, oven French toast, orange cranberry muffins, orange juice, apple juice and AA coffee from Kenya. And we invited the Benitez to enjoy the morning with us so it would be special! It was like being with family and that is how Christmas should be celebrated--with family.

Christmas dinner was a huge success with lots and lots of food, with plenty of left overs! The Gundersons and Benitez families were here along with Gazoul and his family, Isabelle and her boys, and a young friend of the Gundersons. We were hoping for more people but we enjoyed the time greatly!

What a way to celebrate Christmas--with those you love and care about! Sharing Christ with those who are special in your life.

Golde-Oldies Run the Relay once again!

2009-11-15T10:11:00.003+02:00

Two years ago at the track and field day, Milton and I ran in the staff and parent relay with another couple, Ken and Kathy Golde. We were the Golde-oldies! We came in dead last. We each ran 100 meters I think. It was crazy! I did it on a spur of the moment being the spontaneous one in my family! My husband thought I was crazy. I hated running and when I found out how far I had to run, I wondered what I had gotten myself into!

This year I planned ahead. Ken was here so we decided to run the relay again! Kathy wasn't here so I set out to find someone to run in her place. One of the aides at Sahel was willing and Jason Hazel from Maradi ran as well. We two ladies each ran 50 meters, Jason 100, Ken 200 and Milton 400. It was a piece of cake! We beat the other staff team and the Sahel secondary team! Now at least two others on the second staff team are gearing up for next year's relay hoping to beat us! All that slow running improved my speed. Our team time was 2min. 20 seconds for 800 meters.

Track and Field Day

2009-11-15T09:42:00.010+02:00

Each year Sahel Academy has a track and field day. For several years we have been using the national stadium and from kindergarten to the seniors everyone enjoys this day! From the time the softball tournament (NUTS) ends everyone gears up for this day.

Both kids participated and we hope you enjoy some of the videos from the day.

Alicia and her best friend ran the 100 and Iman beat her by .02 seconds. In the 200 meters Alicia came in first in her age group! She says she likes the 200 but doesn't think she could do the 400!

At the end of the day we returned to Sahel and enjoyed some water sports!

Home Improvements

2009-11-10T23:02:00.002+02:00

When we returned to Niger we knew we would have to make some repairs. We knew that it was unrealistic to think that the mission would finish all the repairs that we had requested be done on our house. But a good start was made.

It has been frustrating trying to get the rest of the work done. Most recently we had problems with our septic tank and for two weeks we had a team working to get a new septic tank up and running. We were asked to move out of our house for two days (that extended into 5 days!) We decided with some creativity we could stay. We saved a lot of money by staying in our house. No water could go down any of the drains. Washing machine drained onto the sand (it is already on our back terrace so that was easy enough to do.) Dish water was dumped out the back door as well. We put a large basin in the shower to stand in to take our showers! We managed in other ways as well. I won't go into any details but we were able to manage!
At the same time as the septic tank work was going on we were also trying to get a closet built in our guest room! It was quite the nightmare just trying to manage the keys and the dog etc. It's still not over but the major work is finished. We still don't know when they will paint since no one showed up today!

One funny incident that only happens in Niger. I wanted the closet to be bigger than what they usually make. No one told me that they usually make the closet the same size as a sheet of plywood so that it can easily be divided in half for the doors. Now I have no idea what they are doing for the doors. But they will have to be creative since it will take more than a sheet of plywood! But as I told them "they are the experts and it is up to them to figure it out!

I do not think this will be completed before I leave on Nov. 21.

Tribute to my brother in law

2009-10-20T16:47:00.005+02:00

Last week I got the news that my brother-in-law had died. This was my only brother-in-law. He and I had a unique relationship. We celebrated our birthdays together--September 2. We started celebrating our birthdays when I was one. He was dating my sister. We celebrated together each year until I was grown and if we were together around our birthdays we celebrated together. It had been several years since we had celebrated together for several reasons--mainly we didn't see each other very often and would not have been able to be together even if we had been in the same town at the same time! There is a lot about him that I did not know--like that he was baptized on my first birthday!

I found this about him on the internet and wanted to share a bit of his life.

Bob Quinton Campbell was born on September 2, 1933 in Joplin, Missouri. He went home to be with the Lord on October 15, 2009 in Sprinfield, Missouri at the age of 76.

He graduated from Stilwell High School in 1952 and attended Northeastern State University for three and a half years. He served in the U.S. Army for two years spending 16 months in Korea in the DMZ and six years in the Army Reserve, achieving the rank of Master Sergeant.

He married Maxine Shafer on May 9, 1957. To this union was born Bobby Gene, Debra Dianne, Tommy Dewayne and Lora Lynn. He accepted God as his Saviour on August 26, 1956. He was baptized September 2, 1956. He was a lifelong member of Christie Free Will Baptist Church. He was ordained as a deacon on April 16, 1967. Bob was a trustee of the original Grand River Association of Free Will Baptist churches. His standing testimony was that his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and community friends would accept God as their Saviour and attend church. He always wanted a Christian home and family.

Bob was preceded in death by his mother-in- law, Eunice Shafer; his parents, George & Viola Campbell; Stepmother, Sylvia Campbell; brothers, Jerry Campbell and Hughie Campbell; uncles, Hurshel Campbell and Jarome Campbell.

He is survived by Maxine Campbell, loving wife of 52 years of the home; Children: Bobby and Jacki Campbell, Dianne and Keith Davis, Tommy and Lynn Campbell and Lora Sallee. Grandchildren: Zachery and Rachael Campbell; Michelle and Jason Davis; Jessica and Brandon Tennison; Misty and Jeremiah Davis; Brian and Erin Davis; Kyle and Ashley Davis; Quinton Campbell; Cassie Campbell and Thomas Parker; Kayla Campbell; Jillian Campbell; Reanna Campbell; Anna and Adrian Serene; Katie Foley; Shawn Nyberg; Ashley Sallee. Great Grandchildren: Jordan Campbell; Ethan Campbell; Kimberleigh Warner; Emily Davis; Sarah Tennison; Adrianna Tennison; Haylee Tennison; Odell Parker; Madelyn Serene. Sister: Jeannie and Norman Davis; brothers: Clifford Campbell, Eddie Campbell, Morris Ray Campbell and Lonnie Campbell. Also leaving behind his Christian brothers and sisters and numerous friends.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 20

The Two-headed monster

2009-09-30T00:03:00.003+02:00

When I returned to my job as LPM at SIL I knew there would be some adjustments. I would no longer be doing everything in the dept. That is a good thing!

I knew I would be working together with Anne-Lise and that that would require a lot of grace on our part.

We have had long talks and have enjoyed interacting about the work. She is passionate about literacy and I about Bible translation! We make a great team!

We are very diverse. She is from Norway and I from the States. She has been out here a long time--probably longer than me.
She is courageous--living out East! She has headed up a large literacy project and is a very capable lady.

I really enjoy working with her. We call ourselves the Two-headed monster because we share the work--her doing planning and I supervising the project leaders for our translation teams. We have worked out how we can best work together and share an office with the literacy books!

She is at home working on literacy projects and I love interacting with our teams. I enjoy the contact with potential partners and she and I plan to visit some of those in the future to try to initiate more work for us! We have materials in local languages and are wanting to develop more. We want others to use them, and the people of Niger to read them!

Fun in OK with the Motley Crew called family

2009-07-22T13:42:00.005+01:00

My brother John and I have a special relationship. How did we ever get to be so close? I am sure there are members of my family who would like to know that answer. We have always been close. Even as a small child I was close to him. He has always accepted me--even if he didn't accept my behavior or life style he never gave up on me.

We also have an understanding in that our relationship is important enough that we overlook the small stuff. When he gets opinionated on certain things, I let it go.
When I don't call or write he lets it go! And I am sure that he overlooks a lot more that I don't know about!

My kids love Uncle John. Even though they are growing up they still love to wade and play in the creek, play with his dogs and go fishing with him.

While in OK recently we got to spend a few days with him. He lives in the boonies! He has a spring fed creek that runs in front of his house. He still shoes horses and mules for a living even though he should be retired and he loves to visit old people and share Christ with anyone who will sit still long enough to listen.

Obviously we all love him because we gather at his house. We might make an appearance with the rest of the family but we end up at his house! The cousins love to sit and talk and catch up--it has recently been funerals that bring us together. They feel at home with him and you can see he has an easy relationship with them.

After my brother's funeral we gathered at John's house. One niece said, "I have to show my husband the creek! We have to go swimming." We did!

As we got together, I thought "This is family. It doesn't get much better than this." We had just buried my oldest brother but we were laughing and having fun. He would have liked that. We had a blast together! We had done the same thing after my younger brother, Jack's funeral and after my Mom's funeral three years ago.

As I looked around I noticed that most of us gathered there don't see each other very often and for the most part we have all struggled. Most of us with the exception of one or two have had problems with either drugs or alcohol. Three of us know Jesus intimately and are growing in our relationship with him. We still struggle but our lives are being transformed! As we gathered together you could see that we were real with each other. We love each other--maybe it's because we understand where the others are coming from!

God's Sovereignty

2009-07-21T15:37:00.003+01:00

I often think of what my life would be like without acknowledging the presence of God and his working in my life. I just don't get it when people say "Oh that was a coincidence." or "If that makes you happy to believe there is a personal God who cares for you o.k. but I don't." I think even more importantly is the fact that not only do I have a personal God working in my life, my life has been transformed by Him.

The past couple of weeks have not been easy ones for us.

When we arrived in OK we learned that my oldest brother was in the hospital in Tulsa. Milton and I decided to go the next day to visit him. We spent about 4 hours with him and he talked with us. We saw that it was going to be a long haul to recovery but the doctor was hopeful.

My brother has been on dialysis for several years, was obese, diabetic and had a heart condition. He had lost a lot of weight, was doing well with his diabetes, but had recently gotten a pressure sore on his heal that became gangrene! He had been in and out of hospitals many times! He realized he was in God's hands but was ready to fight for his life.

On Sat. we got the message that he had been taken to ICU after throwing up for most of the day. It seemed there was more wrong than we thought. We decided to leave Sun. a.m. and head for the hospital.

My brother had deteriorated quite a lot. Not only was he on a ventilator but he was suffering quite a bit. We were able to be a comfort to the boys and my sister-in-law. At about 11:00 p.m. we got a call that he had gone into cardiac arrest. They had revived him but there was not much hope for his recovery.

Mon. a.m. Milton and I once again made our way to the hospital (we were staying with cousins who lived only 15 min. from the hospital so the kids didn't have to come with us.)

As I stood in front of my brother's hospital bed, I could see how he had suffered. Slowly his body had broken down and there was no hope of recovery. Milton and I read some Psalms to him and we prayed for him. My brother was a follower of Jesus Christ and his life had been transformed about 3 years ago. He went from a bitter, angry man to one who was filled with hope, and joy. My dad's prayers for him were answered! I had had the joy of being in church with him last summer! That was a precious memory!

As we said our goodbyes, I was filled with a peace. I knew that not only was my brother's suffering over, he was on his way home! At 10:13 a.m (or there abouts) my brother Bill was home! As the chaplain entered the room, she said, "Go in peace, faithful Christian. Go in peace."

The fact that we were in OK at the time, that we were able to stay with cousins in Tulsa, and did not have to return from around the world shows me that I do have a personal God who is intimately acquainted with me and my needs and desires that I see his working in my life for exactly what it is--God at work in me!

Moms in Touch through Prayer

2009-06-16T20:05:00.002+01:00

Five of us moms from the middle school have gotten together regularly to pray for our kids and staff at the school. We have shared of ourselves our needs and cares. We have lifted our kids up in prayer as they have faced many transitions and new experiences this year.

At our last meeting our hostess served some refreshments and the ladies gave me a love gift and a beautiful bouquet. I have those flowers in my living room on the coffee table. I didn't even have a vase to put them in and one of the ladies gave me a vase for the flowers. They have bloomed and bloomed and they are gorgeous and it has been two weeks! They have lifted my spirits time and time again as I have worked on organizing stuff for our trips!

I love the beautiful things God gives us! Flowers are just one example! Friends are another. Thanks sisters I have enjoyed so much our friendship! Wish I had a picture of us together!

Are We there Yet?

2009-06-14T15:14:00.002+01:00

This is usually what I hear from John about 30 min. after we leave the house on just about every trip we take!

But this time we are talking about our support. We have one church that has always pledged a good chunk of our support. But in our correspondance with them they indicated they were having some problems and it didn't look like they would be able to increase their giving. But they always take on a percentage so they are increasing without saying they are. It is just the way they do things. And we like their system.

We had put them down for their lowest amount given, but Milton took another look at their giving pattern. There was this strange amount that we couldn't account for but Milton in his problem solving mode figured it out. It made up the difference in the lower amounts! They had never decreased their giving but we thought they had! and the difference--exactly $70 a month! Isn't that what we said we needed in our last post?

Packing Up

2009-06-14T15:08:00.001+01:00

With all our travels, packing up has become a night mare! We have 8 footlockers that need to go to Dallas! They can't go with us because we have no room for them. We know that we can get 3 in the car but it is a tight fit. We have found a trucking friend who will see that they get to Dallas for us! Yea! But getting them packed is another story! How do you separate out--Niger versus travel, Dallas, need to use until we leave stuff! Sometimes I just have to lie down and think about things! Then it will come to me what I need to do next or what I still need to do to get things packed.

I have cleaned and sorted and packed up John's room. We have hauled stuff to our local thrift shop twice now! Alicia assures me that her stuff is packed but why does her room still look fully occupied? I have no idea what we are doing in there, but it is almost done.

Getting my husband to go through his stuff has been like pulling teeth. He finds all kinds of things he needs to do. Sometimes I feel like a slave driver as I try to get us all on track! But it is coming together, it is just hard to see it right now.

Back to those footlockers.....

Alls Well that Ends Well!

2009-06-14T14:53:00.002+01:00

Who would have thought that life after 50 would have so many twists and turns! Four years later and we were still anxious about getting that colonoscopy! We were down in Lafayette visiting one of our favorite doc friends. As he talked about removing gigantic tumors and looking at colons--the thought crossed our minds. "We should ask if John could do our colonoscopies." No problem. He was in the insurance network, and we could stay at his house for the prep. We just needed someone to stay with us day of the scope and bring us home. But his sister was there and she could help us with that! Of course our plans got all messed up. The kids had sleep overs and decided to stay with friends. Jana went to Wyoming for two weeks. In the end John's mom and dad came down and took care of us and just hung out with us. They let us do our thing the day before and was around if we needed them. Milton had a nauseous reaction to the white grape juice he drank and hugged the toilet more than once! But we had our own bathroom and no one saw us coming and going!

I woke early and had a good chat with the Lord about the anxiety I was feeling and it was soon gone! Knowing I am in His hands makes all the difference in the world!

John confirmed our time to be at the Surgical Center. We had never been to his office, nor did we know that the Surgical Center next door was where we would be having the scope.

We were taken together. I like working as a team! I went first! When it comes to needles, IV's, and medical stuff I am the brave one! Of course I also got more recovery time so that by the time we left the Surgical Center I was awake and not groggy! Milton on the other hand was having a love affair with my plastic clothes bag on the way home from--a reaction to the cranberry juice.

What was it like? We have talked to a few people about the scope and most are anxious as they talk about having to get one. Those who have had it say that the prep is the worse part. I always counter that with 'If you have had bugs in the tummy in Africa, then the prep was easy. No cramping. Just a nice gently cleansing." Milton on the other hand had the nausea to complicate the cleansing! We knew nothing after we got our IV running. I remember hearing 'You can give her the second dose." I was disappointed that I never saw the scope and thought I slept through the whole thing, but the doc said I was awake in the middle. He even talked to me! Never felt a thing, and no discomfort or pain at all!

As Milton talked to Doctor John (the kids term for him) afterwards he got more of the details. All I will say is that alls well that ends well. It all came out in the end.

Building Bridges

2009-06-03T14:53:00.003+01:00

For several months I drew a blank on exactly what to say about building bridges to the Fulani of Niger. I worked on our presentation two weeks before and Milton and I had worked on it last week! It was one of our best power points and one of our best presentations for the conference.

We spent the entire conference looking at how, when, why, and where to build bridges. We really enjoyed the weekend, staying with one of the elders who is a social worker and his wife works with the citizenship dept. Once I heard Steve was a social worker, I knew we would have some good talks and that the Lord had something in store for me. I wasn't disappointed! We connected and enjoyed a weekend of sweet fellowship and learning.

A spur of the moment decision to wear back to Chicago our very creative conference tshirts allowed me to share with complete strangers.

As we stood behind the line for customs clearance to return to the States, I prayed that we would have an asian agent. We did! I asked if he could read the Chinese on the front and he said yes. So i turned around for him to read the back! Then on to CATSA-security checks! Again the agent was Asian and he asked me, "Where did you get that t-shirt?" I explained that we had been visiting a Chinese church and had been involved in a conference with the theme of building bridges. "cool" was the only response I got but we had connected! The next agent also commented on my t-shirt!

Time with daughter well spent

2009-05-04T14:43:00.002+01:00

Yesterday was one of those days where Milton and I were so busy we did not have much time with the kids. They had to make their own lunch (John learned how to make mac and cheese very quickly!), and their own supper. Milton and I were speaking for a community life group right after church, and then we had our own community life group in the evening.

Late in the afternoon I decided to take Alicia to look at some products for her hair. Before we left we were down on the floor (I was relaxing my back!), looking at a magazine of hair dos and products for African American hair. We had a wonderful mom daughter time and then took off to go buy a few things for Alicia's hair.

I love it when she asks me if a certain color looks good! She still treasures my counsel! I keep wondering how I can nurture what we have. Spending time together on things we enjoy together--whether it is Wii Fit or shopping for makeup, it is one way to keep those ties strong! And as we spend time together I can share the important things with her.

If you can't go send us!

2009-05-04T14:28:00.002+01:00

If you can't go then send us! That has been our heart cry! Although we haven't been so bold to say so it has been the longing of our hearts. We have wanted a strong sending church-- a church truly connected to the work. Not just sending their support each month, but a church wanting to be involved in our lives and our work. We are beginning to see that.

"I think I could do $10 a month. What do I need to do to start supporting you." "Do you have any more of those little slips so we can support you?" It's funny but every time we are in a Bible study with a missionary we start to support them!" "We will pick up your support again. Sorry it has been so long in coming." " We are supporting you and will continue to do so!" We have heard these and similar words three or four times this last week and weekend.

I have been convinced this home assignment that it is through relationships that our support is going to come in. I am overwhelmed with love for these friends we have made this year. Our hearts are intertwined in a way we have never seen before but we had hoped for.

God is so good! Now we are down to $120 a month needed to return to Niger. God is indeed good.

Geocaching--a fun new hobby

2009-04-30T19:42:00.001+01:00

About two weeks ago we decided to buy a Garmin GPS and Best Buy had the best buy this time! That isn't always true but this time it was.

I had read about geocaching but didn't know exactly what it was. As soon as we got our GPS I looked up the web site and found there were several caches near us. They have different kinds of caches and one we were looking for was a traditional cache. We have had fun exploring some of the suburban parks looking for these caches.

The funniest one was at a park with a clue like "a good place to get some acid." It was a skateboarding park--one we had gone to last summer with John to skate board. Young guys hang out there with their skate boards. Some were quite nice last summer, watching their language around John and cutting him some slack. A few even showed him how to do a couple of tricks on the skate board!

So we were eager to get over and try to find the cache. I had the coordinates programmed in and off we went. The coordinates took us right to the gate. We could not find the cache. We were pretty obvious in our searching! Not good! Kids were asking what we were looking for! You are supposed to be unobtrusive. Then Milton found it and we sign the log and put it back. There are two policemen standing next to us wanting to know what we were doing since they had been watching us from across the parking lot! We explained and they had never heard of it before! Gave them something to talk about I'm sure.

We have since found five more but there is one we can not find. We have looked everywhere for it!

I am sure we will eventually find it and go "O-oh that's where it was!"

We can do this wherever we are! Doesn't that sound fun in places like Casa Blanca, Morocco, or Dallas TX, or Portland Or, or the possibilities are endless!

Half-Marathon in Indianapolis

2009-04-30T19:19:00.003+01:00

For months Milton has been training for this Half Marathon in Indianapolis. We joined a fitness center and he has faithfully trained for this big day! He did this same half-marathon four years ago.
He ran with Joel and John Francis. Their sister Janna ran in the 5 K. The kids and I did then what we will be doing on Sat. We hung around, waiting to see him cross the Finish line. This time I will video it.

American Girl Lunch

2009-04-30T18:53:00.004+01:00

As soon as you enter the store you are transported to another world! Girls, girls, girls usually with their AG dolls in their arms. Friends of ours had invited Alicia and I to lunch at the American Girl Place! As we left the store and headed for the restaurant, we saw the AG Hospital where your doll could get all her broken limbs and hair fixed. Or you could have a tshirt made to match your dolls, or you could get your doll's hair done--at about the same cost of getting your own hair styled! I think I Alicia can do her dolls own hair for that price.

My friend had also invited her daughter-in-law and her granddaughters along so it was a great time together. We enjoyed pasta, chicken nuggets and an assortment of raw vegetables. For dessert they had white cake, sugar cookies and chocolate mousse served in a flower pot! It was a once in a lifetime lunch for us!

Instead of this being a Happy Birthday lunch we called it Addy's retirement lunch. When Alicia brought her home she decided to get her ready to be stored away!

Little and Big Reptiles at the Reptile Fest

2009-04-09T14:03:00.008+01:00

"The Reptile Fest is coming up this weekend. It will be at UIC. Here's a card if your kids would like to go." Milton checked it out on line and it wasn't too pricey so we decided to go after lunch on Sun.
Even though it was raining we found a fairly close parking space with a meter so we didn't have to pay the $8 parking! In about 2 hours we saw all we wanted of big and little reptiles. Anacondas, Burmese pythons, corn snakes, tortoises, crocodiles, alligators and iguanas. HUGE pythons and boas large enough it takes 3 people to carry them were on exhibit in the gym at UIC! It was like a big petting zoo! John was able to hold and cuddle with pythons, and hold a baby alligator. A crocodile walked around in a taped off area---well-trained he stayed behind the tape!

Sweet Reunions

2009-03-31T14:49:00.006+02:00

"Linda I am coming to Chicago next weekend. Will you be there?" We had planned to be away the entire weekend driving back from AR on Sun. When I got the call from Zinnah (Eric) Sayonkon, a young Liberian man who had been like a son to me in Liberia, I knew we had to do all we could to be back before Sun. afternoon. Zinnah was 13 or 14 when I had last seen him. He had worked for me and other missionaries so that he could go to school and help his family. I had gotten to know his family. His father worked for immigration at the airport and gave me a beautiful wooden mask the night I left Liberia. It now hangs in my living room here in La Grange. His mother cooked me special Liberian food--monkey meat in a delicious sauce, cassava leaf soup, and other tasty meals whenever I visited their little home across from ELWA where I worked running the guest house (working with a Liberian staff who were fully capable of running the Guest House without me).

Relationships with Zinnah and his family, with Victoria and Richard Morris and other Liberians gave me a love for Africa and convinced me that Africa was carved on my heart!

So back to the present. On Sun. afternoon, Milton picked Eric (that was always a part of his name I just didn't know it. I knew him as Zinnah) up in Bolingbrook and brought him to our house where we had a delicious lunch together. Then we gathered in the living room to talk about our memories, look at my Liberia album, and get caught up over all these years. We shared our ministry and we talked of Eric's life now. He is married to Ebony, and they have two adorable children. They were married in MO in 2005. We weren't able to make his wedding but we have stayed in touch. I must say that he has been better at that than I am. He calls me and we talk and we pray for one another.

We were still talking and eating at 7:30 p.m. The time had flown by. It actually seemed like time had stood still.

We said emotional goodbyes as we drove Eric to Hoffman Estates where he was staying. As we drove up he shared two experiences of almost being killed in the civil war, of fleeing the war in Monrovia and going up country to flee for their lives. He lived with a distant relative and learned all about living in the country--cutting country rice, making a farm, picking fruit. He learned more about being a Liberian during those years. He was able to get on a Nigerian cargo ship along with hundreds of others. Their ship almost sank. Eventually after Cote d'Ivoire refused to take in the refugees Ghana took them in. Eric was dehydrated, malnourished but hanging on to life. Getting off the ship he passed out and was taken to the hospital where he was cared for. It was here that the Lord used him. He never gave up on the Lord. He eventually made it to the U.S. and several people were instrumental in helping him. We didn't get to see him as our furloughs did not coincide with his trips to Chicago and our trips to the southern states did not take us anywhere close to him.

What a joy it was to see Eric. We talked of race relations, of issues between nationals and missioanries. He asked me why missionaries my age made such an impact on Liberian lives. Why did we interact with the culture as we did? All I can say is that I love people and I love learning about other cultures, and I have never seen my missionary career as a career or a job but as a way of life. The relationships I make are part of my life, not part of my job, but my life. I know many missionaries older than me who have done the same thing. So it's not just missionaries of the 90's and beyond who are relational! But some missionaries seem to compartmentalize their lives. Or they are one way on the field and one way in the States. Eric had observed that. He asked me why some missionaries seemed rude on the field and were so nice here! I have my theories on that one! Exhaustion, trying to do things in our own strengths. Lots of reasons but it doesn't excuse rude behavior.

We also talked about turning the work over to nationals. SIM had to do so in Liberia because all the missionaries had to leave during the war. OK why aren't we doing this in all our ministries. That should be our goal--equipping the local church to do the work! But why aren't we eager to do just that? Sometimes it comes down to a lack of trust! Bingo! I have always tried to do just that! Whatever I am doing I am trying to turn over what I am doing--trying to find someone who is capable or who has the potential to do what I am doing.

Spelunking in Arkansas

2009-03-31T05:04:00.014+02:00

We had not planned for it and hadn't even thought of it. I only mentioned the possibility of touring one of the caves in the Mt. View, AR area. Since the Folk Center was closed I thought it might be a good alternative. I vaguely remembered visits as a kid to a couple of caves in AR and MO. But I wasn't prepared for Milton to jump on the idea of spending a lot of money to take John on a Wild Cave tour at Blanchard Springs Caverns.

We talked about it and I tried to discourage spending the money. But Milton was firm on this one. He wanted to do it with John and I said no more. I figured he had a better idea of what he wanted to accomplish with John on such a tour!

They joined a tour on Thurs. driving over to the caverns. We wouldn't see them until late in the afternoon. They were on a 3-5 hour tour!

Here are a few pictures of their escapades. I know I would not be able to do something like what they would experience. Going horizontal under rock ledges were not my idea of fun! Neither were grimping along skinny little ledges, or sliding on my bottom down rocks! I would love to see the beautiful stalagmites and stalagtites! But I would pass on spending 5 hours in the heart of the ground!

Refuge at Broom Tree Refuge

2009-03-30T15:36:00.004+02:00

Broom Tree Refuge

We had stayed there last summer and enjoyed ourselves immensely. We would have chosen to go to Florida but that seemed too far in too few days! So the next best thing--go back to where you had some fun!

My brother also lives in OK and I had invited him to come over for a few days. But I wasn't sure if he would come or not. He just wasn't one to travel far from home. Mind you this wasn't a long trip for them--3-5 hours at most.

We on the other hand left about 12:30 on Sun. and drove to Rolla MO. We spent the night there and ate at a Sizzlin Sirloin. Can you imagine not having a baked potato to go with your steak? Well no baked potatoes and most of their vegetables were cooked too death and the lettuce turning brown. Their dining room looked like someone had had a food fight in there! I was rather disappointed but made the most of the salmon and salads!

Then the next morning on to Mountain View. Devastation everywhere! Trees down! But here and there were blossoming redbuds and plum blossoms. It was beautiful!

Surprise upon surprise! My brother John and my sister-in-law Joanne came over on Tues. and stayed until Thurs afternoon. We had wonderful sweet times over the computer looking at old pictures I had scanned in, talking about our ancestors and me trying to get as much information that he might have on cousins. We lamented over the loss (I guess it is a loss if you don't know what happened to them) of so many of Mom's pictures. Pictures of grandparents we never knew, and of us when we were small!

We ate our way through hamburgers and baked potatoes, tacos, refried beans, spanish rice, and we didn't even miss dessert! For the first time in years I was the one cooking for us! Breakfast was kind of weird--pulling biscuits out of a bag and popping them in the oven to bake, making sausage gravy. In the end my sister-in-law helped me with the gravy. John says she makes the best gravy! It was good.

It was just fun for me to be the one giving when my brother has always been the one to give to us when we visit--catfish fries, barbeques, etc. so this was fun!

John also enjoyed taking the kids fishing! Yea! Little John caught two fish to my brother's five. None were big enough to eat so back they went in the pond!

Here is the cabin we stayed in.

One of the things we enjoyed was hiking through the woods to go to the Ray's home to use their hot tub! John was a frequent visitor.
Alicia enjoyed chatting on Facebook with friends from the Ray's front porch or borrowing DVDs to watch, or hanging out with the dogs.

Especially Curly. He is a big English sheep dog who is black-so much so you can hardly see him.

He is 9 years old and enjoys laying around and doing absolutely nothing! Riley and Blossom enjoy running through the woods, chasing animals (they are the only ones to see these animals they chase!

I also borrowed Sandy's walking stick. She tore her knee up and it is going to need surgery but she wasn't planning to be in the woods while we were there so she gave it to me to use.

When we arrived at the cabin these big blocks said Welcome Watt family. So when we got ready to leave the kids rearranged it at their own suggestion to do so to say, "Thanks Ray family"

Books into Money

2009-03-19T20:07:00.003+02:00

We love books. We have lots of books that are mostly in Niger. I have books from my social work days, and even from my university days. Milton has books from his many years of education! Most of our books, but not all are 'religious books' old religious books! I took a rubber maid tub full plus another carton of books into Half Price Books today and sold them. I didn't get much ($15) but I got rid of them without putting them in the dumpster! They will in turn sell them or give some to non-profit organizations. Hey they are out of my hair!

I turned around and bought a Clive Cussler book for our trip and two VHS videos and still had money to bring home!

Next on my list is all those cassettes. Yes they buy cassettes!

http://www.halfpricebooks.com/sell_to_us.html

Worry is like a Rocking Chair

2009-03-19T19:58:00.003+02:00

I wrote this up for our Niger News. I think others could profit from hearing this as well. May it encourage you to turn your worries into prayer.

Psalm 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.

The Lord has been speaking to me about worry and waiting. Worry is like a rocking chair. It is fun to do but such a waste of time. (I don't know who said that but I like it.) It accomplishes nothing in our lives and it takes our mind off of the Lord. Most people don’t see me as someone who worries a lot. I remember last year hating it when Milton traveled. I would begin to worry and he hadn’t even left home. I decided to turn worry into prayer especially when Milton traveled to South Africa. When I was worried about him I gave it to the Lord. For some reason I had forgotten this lesson recently and the Lord once again wanted to remind me of his care, his love, and his protection.

About this time every home assignment I get anxious and begin to worry about our support. The last two home assignments we had a lot of support to raise. We hadn’t seen much movement with new supporters. And I would begin to worry. What ifs would start…..

So when the worries began this home assignment I decided I would put into practice what I knew to be true. Worry was accomplishing absolutely nothing in my life! I wanted it to be different because I wanted to walk in confidence knowing my God cares for us. We have a leased vehicle that will return to Missionary Motors this summer, and we live in a ministry house provided by our home church. I began to look at these provisions as ample evidence of my God’s love and care for us his children. He had proven himself faithful time and time again. We had never gone without. We had always been provided for. So why was I worrying once again about whether or not we would return to Niger this summer? Don’t I believe that the Lord speaks to hearts just as He speaks to my heart? Don’t I believe that there are believers out there who will listen to the Lord just as we have? Why can’t I trust God for our support? If God has provided for all our needs won’t He provide for our support? In these very uncertain times won’t He do the same thing He has done for us—provide for our supporters needs so that they can provide for our needs? I am convinced that He will do just that. I need to remain faithful to Him, continue to pray for our supporters, and share what God has done for us!

For the past couple of months the Lord has reminded me time and time again to wait for Him. As I wait I pray—I pray for potential supporters. When a friend shares a need with me I write it down so I can remember to pray for them. I go out to lunch with friends from church. Almost every conversation turns to our ministry in Niger, how our kids are adapting to life here and how they will transition back to Niger, or how we are doing financially. These become natural ways to talk about our support need. In these increasingly difficult times when friends ask if we are worried, I can honestly say no. I am praying but no I am not worried. I have turned my worries into prayer.

Sun. night in our small group as we struggled to find a service project we could be involved in, someone blurted out to the group and to us, ”Why can’t you be our service project?” Yes, our small group was on my prayer list! We then shared openly our needs with them. After the group another individual in the group shared that the Lord told him to support us! Yes he was also on my prayer list. But didn’t I just say that God speaks to others just as he speaks to me? Today another friend brought me a bouquet of flowers because the Lord told her to! I didn’t even ask the Lord for flowers but he knew I needed to know of his love in a special way today!

It sounds so easy but it takes discipline to turn those worries into prayer. I must admit that there are still areas of my life that I choose to worry about, but little by little those areas are getting smaller and smaller as I bring them captive to the Lord.

Last week as I was thinking about the consequences of our problem with the van--$2000 worth of problems besides being without a car for several days, etc. I stopped myself from getting into the what will we do without a van, where can we get another car, how can we get it, etc. I stopped myself and said, "Linda what are you doing? You don't even know that you are going to be without a van. You don't even know what is going to happen in the next two hours so don't even begin to worry about the 'what ifs'. What did you just write about for the Niger News. Put it into practice. How big is your God? Can He help you? You have said He can so trust HIM." I did and yes we were without a car for several days but God worked all that out, plus the leasing company paid for the work to be done on the car and helped us get it to the right place for the repairs. I learned such a good lesson from all that. I really can get off the worry rocking horse that is going absolutely nowhere. I have so much to do and live I don't want to be stuck on this dead horse!

Using Facebook Wisely and Carefully

2009-03-19T19:39:00.002+02:00

“How long are you on furlough?” The question popped up on the chat box of Facebook last week. It was from the former youth pastor of our home church. We had not seen him in probably 10 years. We didn’t even know where he was! As we chatted I discovered he was the senior pastor of a church in a town where we planned to spend the night on our return trip to Minneapolis. I knew this was more than coincidence. You will have to wait along with us to see what the Lord does with this reconnection on Face Book. But we found out that our friend loves to design spiritual retreats and he loves to teach! I actually used the information I learned about him from Facebook to open up our conversation with him in person.

I have found friends from as far back as college days and discovered one really close friend has become a Christian and may lose her eyesight in the next few years. We had lost contact and I had no way of reconnecting except through Facebook. I can now pray for her.

Facebook is only 5 years old and was started by some Harvard students for college students. Then it was opened up to include high school students as well. Now it is open to anyone over age 13 all over the world! There are even Fulani on Facebook!

At first I was suspicious and wary of putting my personal information out there for everyone to see. I have experimented with who can see our personal information, who can contact us, etc. There are security settings that allow only friends to see your information, your photos, your address, etc. I still have questions as right now it looks like Facebook can use your personal information and photos, videos, etc. They have said they can be trusted but there is no way to know for sure. Do you take their word for it? I think that is naïve. When I thought about this article, I had planned to write about how useful Facebook is for ministry. But the more I read the more skeptical I become. Is it really safe out there? Is it safe for your kids? Are there predators out there trying to lure your kids into sexual encounters or try to bully your kids on Facebook? What about the possibility of someone stealing your identity? I have read of all of these happening! I read of 90,000 sexual predators being booted off of My Space. But what about Facebook? There is no one monitoring Facebook to make sure there is no questionable material on it. They rely on users like us to do that!

I have only been on Face book a few months when I decided it was time to check it out and see how I could use it to connect, reconnect and inform. It seems that a lot of other people decided to do the same thing at about the same time. Many of you are on Facebook. You might also wonder how this could be helpful to your ministry or whether or not it really is helpful.

A pastor friend shared this link on Face Book and I have found it really helpful: http://www.gospelandculture.org/2008/12/redeeming-social-life-online/. This is an excellent article and I would like to summarize the author’s points for those who may not be able to access the site. He gives 9 ways to not use Facebook and then six ways to use it.

Don’t use status updates to complain.
Don’t measure your worth/identity by the number of your Facebook friends and interactions.
Don’t value forming Facebook (virtual) friendships more than real world friendships.
Don’t diminish your face-to-face time with people to check what’s going on in your Facebook world.
Don’t be someone online you’d never be in person.
Don’t hurt and exclude others (intentionally or unintentionally) through use of applications such as “Top Friends.”
Don’t allow Facebook and online life in general to make you a more distracted person
Don’t allow Facebook to tempt you away from your calling and work
Don’t let Facebook cause you to think about yourself more than you already do

His six uses are :
Use Facebook to get back in touch with far-away friends, showing them how Jesus has changed you. (I have found several friends this way and have shared my testimony on line with them!)
2. Use Facebook as an extension of face-to-face relationships and to enhance time with people. Get to know people and love and care for them better when you’re with them because, through Facebook, you know more about who they are and what’s going on in their lives. (This is an excellent tool for staying in touch with supporters, sharing prayer requests, and letting people see a part of your world which is often so different from their own!)
3. Use Facebook to take the focus off of yourself. Facebook can actually help you get outside of yourself and your problems. Next time you login, use the time to focus on creatively listening to, loving, and encouraging others. Practice those SYIS skills you have learned! Approach Facebook thinking about what you can give rather than what you can get.
4. Use Facebook to sharpen and discipline what you do with your time. Facebook status updates can serve as a form of built-in accountability. Just knowing that my Facebook community can read my updates provides additional motivation to stay on task and actually do what I say I’m doing. (It can also let others know what your work is all about!)
5. Use Facebook to quickly announce and facilitate great face-to-face gatherings. Instead of taking 45 minutes to call 10 people to come over for a spontaneous evening, use Facebook. (Finding our pastor friend in Wisconsin is an example. We were in touch on Wed. and Mon. we were visiting! I just have a hard time getting friends my age to use Facebook!)
6. Use Facebook to influence other people for Jesus. Create a new culture with your status updates. Use them to love, encourage, teach, and challenge people.

I just learned that the 25 Random Things about Me is the fastest growing Note on Face Book. A few years ago it was 100 things about me and bloggers were encouraged to write about it on their blogs. Now it has hit Face Book. I have done several of these because I keep getting tagged. But I enjoy letting others know about me. I have actually looked for an avenue to share my testimony more openly. This has allowed me to do just that. God has transformed my life, my past, and has set me free and I want others to experience the same freedom in Christ that I have. It also builds community as we share more with others. We often do not have the time it takes to tell our story to others or in some cases we don’t have an avenue for sharing. This allows you to share as much or as little as you like and you can always add to it. I have already received quite a few comments from friends who are amazed at what I have gone through. It is just a testimony of God’s faithfulness.

Who gives to missions?

2009-03-18T05:23:00.002+02:00

I have been doing some serious thinking about the people who give to support our work in Niger. I have often wondered how to connect with young couples. Our Sunday School class is divided up more by age and ages of children, whether you are married or not, etc. I loved it when all the ladies met together because I got to connect with younger women and enjoyed getting to know some of them a bit better. But I keep coming back to how are we doing at educating young couples about missions? I often wonder what younger couples spend their money on. Have they gotten caught up in the materialism that has so saturated our society--and we have all gotten suck in to a certain extent. I don't have opportunities to talk to many young couples except on Face Book! Other than those kinds of interactions I don't have many opportunities. But I would love to hear from young couples and what they are doing in the area of supporting missionaries. I look at the ages of our supporters and most of them are older and are aging! Who are taking their places? I also look at the face of those who pray for us. I look at that list too, and most of them are my age or 5-10 years younger than me and then you have retired folk. Are the young couples engaged in serious prayer for us and for mission work? Does anyone care about the hungry, illiterate, poor people in this world? I know there are some serious young people doing mission! I have met them. Some of them have grown up on the mission field and come back! That is awesome to get to know them. But what about those who are living life here and in other Western countries? Do they care or are they so caught up in their own lives and surviving this economic mess that they don't take the time to read about the persecuted Christians in China, Iran, and other countries? I ask myself these questions and I would really like to know. This is a burden I carry. And what about those young people who grew up in the last 10-15 years in Christian homes and have totally abandoned their faith? They really break my heart. I know why I came back to Christ. I went through a phase in my life where I thought and believed that all paths led to God. It didn't matter if I followed Buddha, or Tao, or Confucius or whatever god you wanted to follow--they all brought me to the same place or so I thought. So why did I find myself totally bankrupt and empty? Why didn't those other gods satisfy? Because it boils down to a relationship. I couldn't have a relationship with those gods. They did not satisfy!!! But it sure took me a long time to figure that out!

Those are just a few thoughts running through my head these days. I really would like to hear from some others as to what they are experiencing and esp. what younger people are thinking!

I also want to start a blog on how to simplify and save on things--from where to shop to how to shop, etc. Just things that have worked for me. Everytime I see Good Morning America when they are talking about how to save money, I always perk up my ears and am getting ready to hear something really great---but I have been doing most of what they advise doing to save money. So maybe I should pass on tips I know of that help me save money!

You'll just have to check back to see if I get around to doing it or not!

Am I losing it?

2009-03-17T14:58:00.002+02:00

Yesterday was one of those days! I had arranged for a friend to come over so I could use her car to go to my physical therapy appointment. When I got to the PT, I found out I had missed my appt. but could get in 2 hours later! I had to go home because Lornel needed to be back before I would finish if I stayed for the appt. But I knew I had the use of another vehicle. So off I went. All the way home I tried to figure out why I thought my appt. was at 2:30 and not at 10:30 a.m. Was I going bonkers? Too much stress? Had I heard them right when I made the appt. by phone (of course it was in English, duh)? When I came in and looked at the calendar it dawned on me! The pen wasn't working right and what should have been 10 became a 2. I was relieved to know that i wasn't stressed, losing my mind, etc. Just a pen that didn't work as it should. The solution is to keep a pencil next to the calendar instead!

I am so grateful for everyone who came to my rescue and offered their car, their help, etc. to get me to my PT.

One of the worst weeks of my life--well not quite!

2009-03-16T04:48:00.002+02:00

I had been in a lot of pain for over a week and when I finally went to the doctor he said I needed to see a physical therapist. He had taken a couple of xrays of my back and no broken bones, fractures, etc. That was good, but he thought that when I had fallen in Minneapolis (I didn't think it was such a big deal at the time) the fall had caused a nerve to get pinched over time. So I have to get physical therapy and he recommended two possibilities--one of which is right there at the same office as the doctor. I came home and called both as well as the insurance and found out the one in the medical office is the only one in the network. When I finally got them I can't get an appointment until Mon. In the meantime I am not sure what I should do. The doctor gave me a prescription for an anti-inflamatory and pain killer. But it is a little bit stronger than Advil and it is supposed to last all day, but I have found that the pain is pretty bad even with the medicine.

So I spent the week trying to figure out what I should do or not do, whether or not to exercise (no to fitness center and yes to stretches and some back exercises I had been given before.) I hate not knowing what I can do and what I can't do! It has been trial and error with a lot of things. I never know when I get up from sitting down if I am going to have pain or not, or if I move a certain way if it is going to hurt or not and sometimes the pain is bad I double over. I have done more walking this weekend, just because it has been so nice out and we are without a vehicle! That is another part of this whole bad week.

On Thurs. night Milton went to pick up the kids from a band concert and on the way back home he hurt a noise in the engine of the van. When he came in and told me I immediately started to worry, but something stopped me (the Holy Spirit). You saw the verse for the year that I posted about waiting for the Lord. I also recently wrote about worry for our Niger News--I even said I was learning not to worry by taking every thought captive and praying about the situation that was starting to worry me! So I did just that. I refused to worry about what might happen. I was more concerned about getting Alicia to school to make up a Spanish test she had on Fri. a.m. Milton decided to take her and then take the car directly to a mechanic he knows. He did and then came back home to let me know that he needed to take the car to a transmission specialist. When he called Missionary Motors, he found out that the director is a certified mechanic and he was able to tell him who take the car to have it looked at. We were able to find a AAMCO in Brookfield and get the car in at 1 p.m. In the meantime we went shopping for groceries and then Milton took the car in to the shop. Alicia had a sleep over but I was able to get her a ride and the family she was visiting brought her home.

Now to get a ride to the physical therapist on Fri. I sent out a couple of prayer requests throughout the day because we did not know what was going to happen to the van and who would have to pay for the repairs. Whenever Milton talked to MM he was greatly encouraged and the mechanic even gave us a discount because our van was a part of a fleet! That was good.
The even better news is that MM will cover the cost of the repairs and it is guaranteed work through a national chain so that if something happens they could take the van in when we return it in August. I am amazed at how it has worked out even though it was a challenging week.

Sat. morning Alicia was at her friends and John was over at his friend's house early. When Milton and I finally got around we headed over to a garage sale and I found a few things for the kids, but not a lot. It was just a good time to be with Milton to walk and talk about things. One time on the walk I tripped over the uneven sidewalk and I thought I was going to go down and I knew I would wreck my back. I yelled,"Milton!" and he turned and grabbed my arm and steadied me. I did feel something in my back, but with all the pain I have had I have no idea if I hurt it worse or not!

So what did we do in the afternoon? Milton and I sat on the couch and played a word game! We watched movies in the evening and had some good family time together.

Today we were out again after lunch to the library to return videos. 2 miles! Not bad and again just a good time to be with Milton and to walk and talk. I didn't trip over any sidewalks but Milton did walk into some really prickly bushes and we had a good laugh. When I asked what was wrong with him, he just said, "Nothing out of the ordinary."

Sorry this was so long, but it just helps writing about the week. What has totally overwhelmed is the fact that many friends have offered help to get me to the physical therapist and I am looking forward to seeing Canyon tomorrow. Lornel is coming over to our house so that she can be here with the kids when they come home from school. I will use her car and go to the physical therapist and then come back here!!!!!!

Tonight two or three other people offered help if we needed it!

Gotcha Day

2009-03-13T01:28:00.005+02:00

March 12 1996--we waited anxiously for the foster mom to bring 1 month old Ruutu to the mission. It was a Mon. morning and about 9:00 a.m. she arrived with this little one. We weighed her, got as much information as possible, took some initial pictures and got others from the foster mom. We renamed Ruutu in order to keep her name as her middle name--Alicia Ruth Watt! After all this we made our way to the Guest House where we got Alicia ready to go get her ears pierced! Being so very practical minded I knew that I would never survive all the questions of--is it a boy? Why isn't her ears pierced? Aren't you going to get them pierced? etc. etc. etc. This was far easier or so I thought! They took my tiny daughter at the clinic and closed the inner door! I heard a loud cry and it was all over! Out she came with the cutest little gold studs! She never got an infection either!

We headed back to the mission and began to make preparations for our trip home. We were three hours away from Parakou in Kandi and we planned to leave on Tues. We then went and picked up a baby bed from a missionary mom and to the market to buy a few things like cereal and milk for our new baby. Pastor Jeremie's wife Fazi would travel with us. We planned to stop in N'Dali to see Pastor Daniel. Since he was a good friend and knew Alicia's birth family we wanted to stop to see him.

We had no car seat, so Alicia traveled in my arms. When she slept we put her on a quilted pad in her baby bath tub! We had no other choice at the time! We stopped several times along the way to buy yams. When ever we stopped the kids from the village would come running out to see us. Fazi would just laugh because the kids were saying things like, "White women don't nurse their babies. They give them powdered milk. They use a bottle." They seemed to be the experts on babies and white women.

As we stopped at Pastor Daniel's house, he sent a son to the market to buy some pounded yams (as I recall his wife was not there and the market yams were not very good. But it was the gesture that was so very important.) Pastor Daniel prayed with us and we dedicated our baby girl to the Lord!

Then we continued on to Kandi where we had lots of visitors to see our new baby girl. Now here is a funny thing I remember, "She looks just like you!" People would say this because it is what you always say to the mother of a baby girl! It didn't matter that I was white and she wasn't. I soon became Mama Alicia.

Irish Links

2009-03-12T23:36:00.005+02:00

I have always been very fond of my father's cousin Juanita Falin Anthony. As a young girl I have fond memories of visiting her and her husband Will. She would tell me stories of my father and his sisters. I have vague memories of her father, Uncle Jim Falin. He was a school teacher. Supposedly he was friends with an outlaw Pretty Boy Floyd.

I loved Juanita because she was so outspoken. She was a great storyteller and sometimes I was not quite sure if I believed all that she told me.

Juanita lived to be around 90 years old. After her death my brother who was the executor of her estate gave me her diaries (I was doing a lot of genealogy research and these were a big help.) I was so fascinated that for years she had kept a diary where she wrote down something about her day. She kept track of insignificant things like---major purchases (a t.v. or a washing machine!), dates of perms and local rainfall and temperatures! I got a feel for her life over the years. She had an alcoholic daughter who eventually died of her alcoholism. I also saw the spiritual side of her as I glimpsed yet another facet of her life that I had never seen overtly in her life but it came through in her writings. She continually prayed for her daughter and others. She was very neighborly and each year she strove to serve Christ better and to be more helpful to her neighbors. She had loads of friends and she cared deeply for them. This was evidenced in being there for them and helping in times of need.

As I traced the Falins back I traced them back to Ireland! Yep that red hair that now comes from a plant :) was Irish and so are those freckles!This is a picture of my father and mother before they were married in 1937. My dad's mother and Juanita's father were siblings.

Speechless

2009-03-02T07:17:00.004+02:00

Milton and I lead a small group at our church. But our small group is quite large--16 people usually when we all show up. It has been difficult to really get to know people in the group but over the months they have each been a blessing to us. This month we were talking about "goodness". We usually eat first and then we have the study and then dessert.

I have made two African stews the last two times I made the meal. This time I made a Moroccan stew with couscous. I had bought a couple of different kinds of couscous because I wasn't sure what people would like. I also made some brown rice to go with it. I thought I had made a lot of stew but it was all eaten! I brought home left over couscous. Guess it will get made into a salad!

So sandwiched in between eating we had our discussion and study on "goodness". Flowing out of our desire to be more like God should be the outworking of our goodness. Each small group is supposed to do a service project. So far all we have done is to send some money to buy food packs in Zimbabwe. One of the missionaries our church supports has shared how difficult it is there and the people have appreciated that help. Other groups have done so many different things. Yet our group has been at a loss for months as to what we could do!

Tonight one of the ladies just blurted out," Why can't you be our special project?" Well we really can't suggest that they do something that will benefit us now can we?

So we spent some time talking about our needs. The group has decided they will get together and discuss how they can help us with our support.

Now I guess I know why we have not been able to decide on a special service project. God wanted us to be their project. We are humbled and we are really overwhelmed by His goodness. Man it is going to be hard to leave all these friends behind this summer.

The Jesus Mosaic--Visiting Lacrosse Wisconsin

2009-03-01T06:35:00.003+02:00

We left Minneapolis rather late and we finally pulled into the Settle Inn in Lacrosse, WI just in time for a dip in the pool. There were a lot of teens in the pool and whirlpool. They had put all the plastic pool side chairs in the pool. When I ran into one I yelled and soon the pool was empty. Alicia and I hauled the rest of the chairs out of the pool. We played around for awhile and then back to the room.

The next morning we all got up for a swim in the pool and whirlpool. We had a small breakfast and got the car loaded.

We thought we had the right directions but could not find Eric and Linda's house. When we finally stopped and asked we were on the wrong side of town. So we got the right directions and finally arrived about a half an hour late. They live in a really bright yellow older house and it was really pretty. Eric's mom lives with them.

After having breakfast and answering a lot of questions we went for a visit at the church with Eric. We were amazed at their ministry and I in particular was interested in what they were doing to help those in need. With a basement turned into a thrift shop (free to those in need) and someone to counsel those in financial need they are making an impact on the local community.

When we went into the sanctuary, Eric had a mosaic of Jesus that the congregation had made. They had handed out tiles and each one added it to the picture. It was really beautiful. Here is a picture I took of the mosaic. It takes all of us to make up the body of Christ!

Life in Niger

2009-02-28T04:04:00.003+02:00

I have been working on a power point about our life in Niger. I have a couple of opportunities to share it with ladies in my church and friends of mine. So I converted the power point into a video using a trial version of a program I found. So take a look and see what you think. It isn't perfect but it will give you a good idea of what our home looks like and our neighborhood and Niamey.

Divide and Conquer

2009-02-27T17:46:00.005+02:00

It is not often that both kids have something going on at their schools at the same time. As I was getting supper ready I told John we had to get ready to go to the basketball game at Gurrie. "But I have a concert tonight!" That was the first I had heard of it! So we quickly decided I would go to Gurrie to the bb game and Milton would go to the concert! "Oh I need a red shirt tonight because we are doing the African flag." "John you know that Africa is not a country? And there are many flags. Which one are you talking about?" "You know the African flag!" No I did not know but sent him off with a red shirt

Little did we know that the whole concert would be made up of African songs, and musical instruments. If I had only known sooner I could have sent several traditional instruments over for the music class to play, but I didn't even know they were doing something special in music!

Because John had missed several practices he was elected to give the flowers to the pianist at the end!

Meanwhile back at Gurrie, I walk in to the gym just as they are announcing my daughter, "....7th grade cheerleader Alicia Watt." Does my heart proud. Tonight was a special charity basketball game between Gurrie's 8th grade team and the local cops! It is the D.A.R.E. program's game. It was a lot of fun. To kick off the game, a Scottish bagpipes player played Amazing Grace as we paid tribute to the policemen who had fallen in the line of duty! Then the fun began. The 7th grade cheerleaders cheered for the cops and the 8th grade for the 8th grade team.

At one point in the game Gurrie was trailing by 9 points and all of a sudden those 9 points are on the scoreboard! Could the cops be giving this game to Gurrie? Well who were the referees? The principal and superintendent of schools! In the end they tied the game and everyone had a great evening! We later found out it was traditional for them to tie the game! I snagged a free t-shirt for John to match the one given to Alicia for cheering for the cops. What a great way to end the season!

Why do some things upset me so much?

2009-02-21T22:52:00.003+02:00

We had stopped for lunch in Wisconsin and to shop for a swim suit for Alicia. Wal-Mart usually has them all year round. I also found some jeans for Alicia to try on. I always want to see how she looks in whatever she is trying on. And she usually wants me to come in the dressing room with her so she doesn't have to parade in front of anyone else when she trying on clothes.

As I take back several pairs of pants for her to try on, the salesclerk stops me just as I open the door to go into the changing room with Alicia, "I'm sorry ma'am but we only allow one person in the changing room at a time." "I'm sorry but this is my daughter!" I rather forcefully told the sales clerk. I went in and shut the door. Afterwards Milton said something about how I had answered the lady and felt I had been a bit sharp with her.

For me it was a no-brainer. This was my daughter and I had every right to be in the changing room with her. My other thought was if she looked like me (white) there would not have been a problem with me going in with her!

The sales clerk was no where to be seen when we came out. It was also interesting because I had already gone in with her once while she was trying on her swim suit and the lady never said a word!

Sometimes these things happen and I am not even aware of the fact that I have reacted so strongly.

Flat tires in America

2009-02-21T22:42:00.003+02:00

Last Friday as we were on our way to Minneapolis we were somewhere in the boonies of Wisconsin when we heard a thud and all of a sudden we are stopped by the side of the road! Flat tire! No I take that back--shredded tire! We were right next to a turn around in the road so Milton backed up onto it because there were so many big trucks on the road that we didn't think it would be safe to pull to the side of the road.

I jumped out to help. Milton and I usually work together to get the tire changed. I have changed enough in my life time by myself that I know two are better than one. We were able to get the spare tire out but it was one of those dinky little ones that you aren't supposed to use for more than a few miles down the road!

But we could not get the lug nuts off! We had two lug wrenches and neither would take them off with both of us hauling on the wrench. They would not budge. John was in the back seat so I yelled for him to pray. We are stuck in the middle of nowhere (unless you are from Wisconsin then it probably isn't nowhere!), no stations close by, but we do have roadside service. We figured that would just delay us and we aren't even sure how that works! Anyway, I dug around in the van looking for a can of WD-40--something to loosen the lug nuts. All I could find was somekind of carbruetor cleaner, but it was oily so I sprayed it on and asked John to once again pray! One nut off! Spray again, and haul on the wrench. No way! I don't care how much I have been working out those babies weren't budging! Number 2 finally came off! One by one with lots of prayer, oil, and really hauling on the wrench we got them all off. John and Milton finished changing the tire and we got back on the road.

Now that we are about an hour late from arrival in Minneapolis we called and explained the situation to our friend Bill. We also called Missionary Motors because we weren't sure how far it was to the nearest town. It was only about 30-40 miles and there was thankfully a Wal-Mart! A Super Wal-Mart at that. We were able to not only get a new tire but Alicia and I got in some serious shopping!

Finding old friends

2009-02-19T07:10:00.002+02:00

Last week as I was on Facebook, up popped one of my friends on line. I was surprised to hear from him. As we chatted I learned he was living in Lacrosse WI. We were planning a trip to Minnesota on the weekend and planned to stay in Lacrosse on Sun. night and drive in to La Grange on Mon. We did not know that this friend of ours was living there so we made plans to visit. Even more surprising was the news that he is now the Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Community Church. What a great time we had together as we shared our lives with one another. This all came about because I was on Facebook. I really don't know how we would have connected otherwise.

Now we are trying to find a time when we can return for a visit to share our ministry with Eric and friends who might be interested in our work. I love seeing God work out these relationships!

2009-02-19T07:03:00.003+02:00

This past Sunday we attended a worship service that probably serves communion every Sun. We were a bit out of our element since the service was more liturgical than what we are used to. To serve communion they had real wine but they also had grape juice available. I thought I had it right and that the kids were getting grape juice. When in fact it was just the opposite. I told the kids to take what I thought was the grape juice. Boy was I surprised when I drank it and it wasn't the grape juice! No one said a word and we had a good laugh later. Alicia's comment was one I hope she remembers for a very long time, "How does anyone drink that stuff? It does not taste good." Maybe it was more of a teachable moment than I thought.

Are you ever Amazed with God!? Lessons in Support

2009-02-05T00:18:00.002+02:00

I have been praying about our support. You see each time we are home we go through the same scenario. Or at least I do. I am usually preoccupied the entire time with what we need to do to get back on time. In some ways it keeps me from putting down roots. I make friends pretty easily but it takes awhile for me to just get used to everything here. This time I got involved in ways I hadn't on past furloughs. I joined a Moms in Touch group and have really enjoyed the fellowship as much as the praying we get done for our kids. I have helped out and attended every basketball game my daughter cheered at. I have attended fun lunches and I might be speaking to my son's class on "Growing up in Oklahoma where the legend of the Red Fern Grows." I have gotten involved!! I helped make fleece blankets to give to underprivileged kids. I joined an exercise class, a fitness center, and a Bible study on 1 Corinthians. In the past I have had to home school the kids and this kept me from being really involved in community life. It was like we lived life on the periphery of the group. Never quite fitting in and yet not really on the outside or inside of the group. Does that make sense? This furlough we have been in one place, in one house, and the kids have been in public schools! Community schools! I have had opportunities to talk about our life in Niger, to get to know other parents and to really connect with some friends on a deeper level.

A week or so ago I began to wonder how God would bring in the rest of our support. I just have a really hard time asking people who are struggling already to make ends meet to consider supporting us. I looked over something Ed Welch, SIM had sent us on support raising. It had some good basic information. The one thing I learned is that I need to be talking about our ministry and our desire to return to the field this summer. I need to be talking about our support a lot more than I have been. I have to let people know of our need. Last week I decided to make a list of people I know that I am in relationship with who might not know that much about us and our ministry. I am pretty outgoing but I simply can not call people and out of the blue ask them to support us or even ask them to consider it and pray about it etc. That isn't something I am comfortable doing. I decided to just pray for them. If I know they have some kind of difficulty I pray about it. I am involved in their lives so I usually know what is going on in their lives. After the first week one of our friends asked how they might help us out with monthly support. Yesterday another friend wanted to give us a gift. Then today Alicia's orthodontist wanted to know how he could know if someone he support really gets the money and how can he be sure. I told him rather flippantly that I often ask myself the same question. so he said "so if I wanted to give to help someone who should I give to?" i rather flippantly replied, "Give it to us. Then you know it will be used the way you wanted."

I guess I am just amazed at how God is at work. I am sure that He wants us back in Niger. If you are reading this blog you could be involved. Stay tuned to see how God works in our lives and gets us back to Niger.

Howsweet he is

2009-02-02T18:09:00.003+02:00

Naaman Scott video

2009-02-02T16:02:00.004+02:00

Here is a second video.

Naaman Scott Gunter

2009-02-02T04:28:00.002+02:00

We got to see our friends Scott and Julie last Sat. Here is a video of their son Naaman Scott.

Losing Weight or not Losing Weight

2009-01-26T06:44:00.002+02:00

In April I was really convicted about my lack of self control. This has always been a issue in my life in many different ways. but this time it was about food! My entire nuclear family are overweight except for two of us. Well I too am overweight so I guess only one of us is not fat. I have put on about 30-40 pounds in 17 years. My husband doesn't gain weight. He burns fat and has a high metabolism! Nothing stays on his bones unless it is muscle.

So since April I have been yo-yoing. I lose a few pounds and put it back on. I exercise for awhile and then stop or do something different (this summer it was walking and biking). But the pounds I lost before coming home came back once I got back here and started eating all the good foods I had missed in Niger.

Mid-November we joined a local fitness center while they were having one of those promotionals and it wasn't too costly for us. It has been great. I don't like it but Milton manages to get me out there 5 days a week! We go for an hour to 1 1/2 hours and I am gradully toning up and strengthening. I no longer gasp for air after a mile on the elliptical. I am going for the hills and trying to build muscles, and strengthen my body through exercise. I am trying to eat healthier and am trying to find a diet that I will stick with--making wise choices of food rather than doing a diet for a few weeks and then going back to my bad habits. We are eating more vegetables! I knew everyone in Washington would be happy to hear that :) Then I am cooking healthier, too.

It is beginning to pay off. I have never been able to get into a size 14 in several years--maybe 11 years at least! I have since John's birth worn a size XL and I am now down to a L! Yes! Way to go. I am losing inches at the waist and hips! I am more than anything else beginning to have more energy.

Now if I could just get some of those menopausal symptoms under control--emotional rollercoasters that go with the yo-yo-ing of the weight as well.

Patience my dear patience. How is this for transparency! From bouncing down the stairs at church to talking about my weight! What's left to talk about?

Alicia makes High Honor Roll

2009-01-26T06:35:00.002+02:00

Alicia made the honor roll the first quarter and then raised her one B- to a B and made the High Honor Roll. I was actually scared as she had several failing grades on her daily papers but somehow it all averaged out great in the end. Her report card came in the mail. So when we looked at it we called her out of her room and I started chanting one of her cheers, "We are proud of you! We are proud of you!" Now we have started a new tradition--Wendy's frostys when we want to celebrate their good grades. Hey a little incentive goes a long ways! So Milton went out for Frostys for the kids and I had low fat low sugar ice cream!

Then this evening Alicia wanted to go out to eat to celebrate! Now that is taking it a bit far but hey you have to celebrate those special moments. So we compromised. Milton and I went to Trader Joes and I got their great pizza dough and came home and I made pizza for the kids. Alicia still thought that was special!

Linda makes friends while working out

2009-01-26T06:26:00.002+02:00

For a few weeks I have noticed this very happy woman about my age! If I am at the Fitness Center later in the morning she will be on the bikes or ellipticals. She always has a smile for me, and has even said hi a few times. Last Tues. I decided that if I saw her again I would ask her why she was so happy, why she was always smiling. I did wonder if she was a Christian because I had no other explanation for her joyful manner.

Wed. I was not my usual happy self. I had fallen down the stairs at church the night before on my way to an exercise class and I was tired because I had not slept well and I woke up with a headache. There she was. I had just finished the elliptical and was on my way to do some strengthening exercises when I stopped to say hello. Just as I am about to ask why she is always happy, she asked me why I was so tired looking. I explained I had fallen the night before and this lead us into talking about where we live, etc. She is a Christian and is a pastor's wife--Western Springs Baptist Church. Small world. So we had a good long talk about the neighborhoods we live in, how we like living here, etc. It was great to finally know that my spiritual antenna did work. You can know someone is a Christian by the way they behave!!!

Taking a Tumble

2009-01-21T07:25:00.002+02:00

This evening as I started over for my strengthening exercise class, I was running a bit late so hit the road running. I got the side door of the church open and my hand on the rail to head down the stairs. I think I had taken one step when my feet went out from under me and I went bouncing down the stairs. I had wet feet thus the reason my feet went out from under me. I hung on to the rail as I bounced down the stairs until to stop with the momentum my slippery bottom seemed to have! I was wearing some slippery gym clothes and I just slid from one step to the next. I found myself near the bottom when I was finally able to stop. i had skinned my left leg a bit and it hurt a bit when I walked on it. Instead of going to my class I walked up the stairs and limped home.

Thankfully I am just across the street. Everyone was surprised to see me home so quickly but got quite a bit of sympathy as they ooed and ahhed over my skinned leg. John even game me a "Poor mommy. Tu n'as pas de chance." kiss. It's a standing joke that goes back to Milton's growing up years and his sister would say something similar to him.

No pictures. What I have in my head are funny enough as I saw myself bouncing down those stairs! Thankfully I wasn't hurt as I could have laid there for quite some time before someone found me! Of course I would have yelled loud enough for someone to hear me over blaring exercise music and talking women!

Transitions

2009-01-18T17:01:00.003+02:00

Several days ago, I remember going to the fitness center and actually striking up a conversation with a complete stranger. Most of you would say, "So what's so unusual about that. You are always doing that. You will talk to anyone. If you are standing in line you will start talking to the person in front of you. That's you, Linda." I would agree with you but I have actually felt more out of my element here in the States. It has taken me longer this time to make the transition and to feel I fit in. Can you imagine what the kids have felt? If it takes me this long to feel comfortable I think John at least has taken almost as long. No matter how much support he has had it has been more difficult for him to feel comfortable at school. But he has made really good progress this quarter and we are sure the report card will show his effort.

Just as I am getting comfortable, I have also started thinking of returning to Niger. Maybe that is how it is supposed to be. Before you get so comfortable that you don't want to leave, you have to feel good about returning, right? With the beginning of the New Year, I began thinking of what we need to do to return to Niger. I have started making lists (at least in my head) if not on paper! Then I have started attacking the lists. There are certain things I can't buy until just before I leave so I have been hitting clearance racks at stores to get shorts and shirts for the kids, going to thrift shops and finding skirts for me! Yea! Milton is just scratching his head. But he, too is happy for my enthusiasm about returning.

With the enthusiasm to return to Niger comes a general enthusiasm about life. Life is good! All the time, even during the hard times, when facing difficult things.

When July gets here I am sure we will hear, "Look out Niger, Linda has left the U. S.!" O.K. I have been watching too much Frazier!

An incredible day of work and play

2009-01-09T19:14:00.002+02:00

Yesterday was an incredible day. I was able to get a lot done in a short amount of time. Milton was off to Wheaton to do some research and he planned to pick up Lornel and Canyon so they didn't need to have two vehicles over here in the evening.

The Gundersons were coming over to Alicia's game and so was Lornel and Canyon. The house was needing a bit of a pick-up to say the least. I actually got it all done by 2 p.m. including straightening some in the closet. Yea! Then I sat down and started in on my Bible study. I kept getting distracted--a disturbing email from Niger about a car accident. So I took time to pray for that.

In the end I got 1 Cor. 1 read!

The Tigers won their game and Alicia did a great job of cheering. Two of her friends stayed for part of the game and saw her cheers! I know that meant a lot to her. Then to have family and friends come out to see her. I am sure she felt good about all of us cheering her on!

We had an amazing time at our house. The kids were on their DS and Alicia and Ruby spent time watching some video clips. We got some good adult conversaton in and it was sweet. The G.s leave for Niger on Tues.

One of the things we talked about was keeping alive the passion for ministry. When we come back to this culture it is very easy to get comfortable and lose the desire to return to our country of service. (at least that is my opinion) I see it in my kids. I see it in me. I see it in others who have returned to their home country and stay an extended time. I believe that if you don't do some things to keep the passion alive you decide to stay home and do something good here. There are needs everywhere you look so it's not hard finding a place to minister! For myself I can't afford to get comfortable here. I have to keep my passion for Niger alive! I get reconnected with Niger friends, I get my kids reconnected with their Niger friends. And I submit my will to God's and what he wants to accomplish in me, and through me. I want to be obedient no matter the cost.
!

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T22:47:00.002+02:00

Reflecting back on the year is always a good thing to do, and we are extremely grateful for all that God has done for us. He has provided for all our needs. We have a home to live in until we return to Niger, a van to drive, and good health. Milton and I have had some minor health problems but overall we are in good health. We are both getting regular exercise something I have been inconsistent with in the past. For two months we have been working out at a local fitness center. We took advantage of a special promotion they were having and now we are there every day. I am enjoying using the elliptical and will have to figure out how to get the best exercise when I get back to Niger.

We have had a fairly relaxed Christmas vacation. John is usually at his best friend's house for a couple hours every day. Alicia has enjoyed chatting with friends, and relaxing. She usually has a pretty hectic schedule with cheer leading and choir! Both keep her busy either before school or after school.

I made Christmas dinner here and we took it to friends of ours in Wheaton who had had a bad accident the week before and did not plan to do anything once they arrived home Christmas Eve. We had a great time together and we were so blessed to see God's hand of protection on this family.

We are encouraged with how the work has continued while we are in the States. Usually we have shut down the project and did not stay in contact with SIL as we have this home assignment. It has added some continuity to the work. I have not had to stay in contact with SIL about my work. That has been really good, because I have felt I had a full plate at times. I have helped out at Alicia's and John's schools and have really enjoyed getting to know some of the other moms. I have kept our blog up to date and have us set up on Face Book. I have enjoyed staying connected with people that way.

Until about a week ago I really did not know if I wanted to return to work at SIL when we return to Niger. I was really struggling with whether that was where God wanted me or not. This isn't the first time I have struggled with whether that is where God wants me, but this time I was really unsettled. But I was reading in my devotions just a few days ago and it hit me. I do not need to have all the answers for people. I do not need to solve everyone's problems. Some of the problems people have made themselves and no amount of my solutions will solve them until the person recognizes they are where they are because of the choices they have made. I also do not need to react every time someone says something that hurts my feelings, says something unkind, says something without thinking, etc. I can ask how would Father want me to handle this situation, this remark, etc. I do not have to take every situation personally!!!!! I also realized that I need to stay in Father's Word if I want to be able to handle situations in the way He woudl have me handle them. A peace settled over me and I realized I could return to whatever role is required of me and I would be o.k. with it. The key is to have a steady diet of Father's Word.

I guess if I had a resolution this year it is to stay in Father's Word so I can respond like Father would. I can choose to handle situations like Brother Lawrence with peace and joy in my day even if I am washing pots and pans or peeling potatoes. Which reminds me! What are we having for supper!!!!

Desert Violet

2008-12-22T05:01:00.002+02:00

Check out Alicia's blog and see what's happening in her life. You can find the link below or you can follow this one: www.desertviolet.blogspot.com .

Ready for Christmas

2008-12-19T18:04:00.005+02:00

I really did not know how we would decorate the house for Christmas. Someone gave us a tree which is quite a bit bigger than our Niger tree. I brought home a gallon freezer bag packed with ornaments that we enjoy in Niger. ( I got this idea from a friend in Niger who said she has a box of ornaments that go back and forth with her to make the decorations special!)

What I discovered here was a tub with my stored Christmas ornaments in it! There was a Precious Moments ball from 1990 (our first Christmas just before we got married), a Precious moments ball for 1996 (Alicia's first Christmas), and one for 1997 for John's first Christmas.

Angels I have had from Liberia came home with us and packed away creches in thornwood and soap stone were brought out.

I have one creche from Burkina Faso that came with me and will return to Niger with me I am sure. This one circles our advent candles set on an indigo batik with the star and wisemen on the edges. I think this is a table runner but it works great for our unique advent candles.

I love to collect unusual creches. I don't have as many as the queen of creches in Niger but I can recall where each one has come from and why it is special. My favorite is a tiny set that fits in the palm of your hand. I picked it up in Mexico on my first short term missions trip. I guess that is how my collection started.

Christmas Concert

2008-12-15T21:01:00.003+02:00

Tues. evening was pretty chaotic as Alicia had a game about 15 min. away and as soon as we got home from it, she was getting ready for her concert. Dressed in black pants, white shirt, cumberbund, and tie she looked quite spiffy!

It was the Christmas concert so we got to see not only the Gurrie choir (all 7 girls) but the young elementary music students as well.

We were quite proud of Alicia and her performance! Enjoy the video of their African Noel.

Unsportsmanlike behavior on the court

2008-12-15T17:33:00.004+02:00

Last Thursday we traveled about a half an hour to Alicia's away game. It was the first time we saw a policeman on duty just inside the gym. It was the first time our team faced an aggressive, out to win at all costs team. It was also a challenge to Alicia to know what to do when one of your team mates is insulted.

One of the players accidentally bumped one of the cheerleaders. She apologized thinking probably that she was in his way. He verbally insulted her and then added a racial slur to top it off! Alicia and the cheerleaders were shaken up by this. They weren't for sure just what to do! When they told their coach it was already too late to address the issue. The girls learned an important lesson in keeping their coach informed about what is happening but also how to handle those kinds of situations.

I think Alicia is shocked by the words that come out of the mouths of peers.

But their behavior on and off the court made everyone proud of the Gurrie Tigers. The team played well, did not lose their cool and showed good sportsmanship and respect! It didn't matter that they lost it was all in how they played the game!

Project Linus blankets

2008-12-15T17:29:00.007+02:00

72 fleece blankets were made by the Gurrie 7th and 8th graders on Fri. Project Linus is a non-profit organization that makes and gives blankets to children who are in difficult situations. Thanks to those who gave $10 to make a blanket.

I went over and helped to cut and tie the blankets. What fun it was to join Alicia's advisory group, get to know some of the kids better and to interact with the staff!

Go Gurrie Tigers!

2008-12-06T06:01:00.005+02:00

Tues. after school was the first Gurrie 7th grade boys basketball game. We know 4 of the boys on the team. Alicia was cheerleading. We got there early so I got some shots of the team warming up! I got a lot of footage of Alicia's cheers. Even though she said later that she didn't know the cheers that well, I could not tell that she didn't. They were loud, they were noisy, and they had enthousiasm!

Wednesday, Alicia once again donned her cheerleading uniform (basketball players wear khaki dress pants and dresshirt and TIES !) as they had another game. She was the captain for that game. But she ran into some problems. We didn't know it but the girls weren't listening to her and as a result they all had to miss the next game to practice. I personally thought they did a good job, but their teacher knew better. She had overheard the girls arguing! On Thurs. they stayed behind while Gurrie boys played and won their game! As a result they will be better prepared for their two games next week! I enjoyed helping the Parent Teacher Organization as they sold candy and water and gatorade during the home game.

How is that for getting involved!

Jack Frost the Temporary Snow Man

2008-12-06T05:39:00.003+02:00

While Alicia and I were at her second basketball game (She's a cheerleader you know), John and Milton built a snow man. He was beautiful, with shrubbery eyes, sticks for his mouth and nose. He also sported a bright orange and blue Illinois scarf and gloves! In the dark he looked like a painting! He lasted only a few minutes as John and his friend enjoyed destroying him! But he has been immortalized on my deskstop and on Facebook.

Assembly "Ryan's Story"

2008-11-20T23:13:00.002+02:00

On Mon. of this week I attended an assembly at the Middle School. It was on anti-bullying. A father whose son had committed suicide because of bullying shared his story. It was an eye-opener. There is a lot more dangers out there for our kids because of the internet.

I noticed that John's principal and the social worker were there, too. "Perfect", I thought. "I will try to talk with his principal to let her know that John was being teased and called some derogatory names." After the assembly I approached her and asked if they were going to try to get the speaker to come to 7th Ave. she didn't think he would be appropriate for the younger boys but I thought he would be good for 6th grade. I shared my concerns with her and they were very well received. She talked to the class that afternoon. I was impressed when John came home and said she and the social worker had talked to them.